[3830] WPX SSB TI5N(W8QZA) SOAB QRP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, SSB

Call: TI5N
Operator(s): W8QZA
Station: TI5KD

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: Costa Rica
Operating Time (hrs): 36 hrs

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:    7
   40:   79
   20:  131
   15:  323
   10:  460
------------
Total: 1000  Prefixes = 511  Total Score = 1,320,935

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Comments:

Rig: Elecraft K-2: 5 Watts

Antennas at TI5KD :           

Quad up 25 meters, 4 el 10M, 3 el 15M and 20M

TH6 Tribander up 25 meters

2 el 40M Quad fixed at 20 degrees

80M loop with apex up 27 meters

A3 tribander up 12 meters fixed So America
-----------------------------------------------

The nice part about WPX is that you get to sleep some during the contest.  The
challenging part is figuring out when to sleep.

This year I changed strategies a bit and decided to take my off times at night.
Even with Keko's fantastic 40 M quad and with the point advantage that WPX
contests give to the low bands, I thought I might do better spending my time on
the high bands. But in the end, I don't think it made much difference.

Conditions on 10 meters were considerably better than last year. I worked 22
Europeans on 10 meters this year compared to only one last year! But the longer
skip seemed to make it harder to work the USA and that is where most of my Qs
and points come from! In the end, it may have hurt my score.

Conditions were better on 15 meters also and I worked almost twice as many
Europeans on 15 this year than last.

On 20 meters the first night, I got one of those openings over the pole into
eastern Europe that added about 20 prefixes to my count.

On 40 I was able to easily work the strong contest stations in Europe,
especially on the second night when the piles were much smaller.

My best QSO by far was on 15 meters when JY5CC stood by for stations outside
Europe. Amazingly, I seemed to be the only station to call. He quickly got a
partial on my 5 watt signal and then struggled mightly to finally get my call
and the exchange. It was certainly the thrill of the contest for me!
...Incidentally, as I was trying to work him I was surprised to hear several US
stations call him on his frequency which was CLEARLY outside the US band!

It was also thrilling to have 5N7M come back to me right at the end of the
contest while I was running a long string of US stations on 10 meters. I was so
used to working US stations that it took me a few go arounds before I could
figure out what call I was hearing!

Once again, I want to thank Keko for the use of his great contest station near
San Jose. That TI5N call and his antennas add many db to my QRP signal! ...And
on Saturday night I also found out that he barbecues a pretty good chicken! It
is always difficult to go back home and operate after doing a contest at his
station! 

See you all in WPX CW where I will probably be struggling from home as W6QU
with my 32 foot "tower"!

73,    ...Bill   W8QZA @ TI5N


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