[3830] WPX CW NH2T(N2NL) SOAB HP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: NH2T
Operator(s): N2NL
Station: N2NL

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Guam
Operating Time (hrs): 25
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:    2
   40:  377
   20:  620
   15:  859
   10:  158
------------
Total: 2016  Prefixes = 687  Total Score = 4,798,695

Club: Florida Contest Group

Comments:

Stn 1: K3/AL1200, Spiderbeam @ 35ft, 40m Dipole @ 50ft, 80m vertical
Stn 2: TS930/SB1000, Vertical

   I was really excited to put in a full effort this weekend, fully ready to
take the KH7XS OC record.  3000 QSOs?  Piece of cake - not even a 100/hr rate! 
Ugh - I had no idea of the pain I was about to endure.

   The contest started OK I guess - with a 130/hr - but went down hill from
there.  The conditions were the worse I have ever heard from Guam.  For many
hours I could not work out of my part of the world, and it was apparent that
the JAs gave up early also.  Add a tropical storm in Japan to the poor
conditions and activity was way down out of Japan.  

   I was fortunate to get some Europe the first night, but my 40m numbers
really suffered.  NA was all but unworkable, and even some of the JAs had a
strong flutter from AU on 40 the first evening.  My hope was that the disturbed
conditions would prevent my competition - KH7X and NH7A - from working Europe. 
I imagine this was accomplished however the conditions were so bad I could only
work a few West Coast NA and even fewer East Coast stations.  2nd afternoon
rates were less than 30/hr and half of those QSOs were worked with the 2nd
radio.  This allowed my KH6 competition to eliminate the QSO advantage I had
gained during the 1st night.

   Power outages are common here on Guam, but I'd been lucky during contests up
to now.  When the power went out Sunday night with 25 hours in the chair, I had
a decision:  Fire up my small generator and continue, leaving the rest of the
house (and my family) dark, or pack it in and call it quits.  The decision was
obvious and I went out to the movies with the family.  The power came back on
sometime overnight but I got a good night's sleep.

   My highest respect goes out to Mike KH6ND (KH7X) and Jim N6TJ (NH7A).  I
know they had it just as rough as I did, but I assume they both stuck things
out.  I did work about 400 Europeans that they probably did not, however every
time I tuned across them, they were working NA that were completely inaudible
here 3800 miles further west.  I know they both killed me on the low bands - so
it would have been inevitable even had I stayed on for the full 36 hours.  I had
a great opportunity to spend a little time with Mike @ KH6YY last week during a
business trip.  It was obvious how much time and effort he put into the station
to make it competitive, so his success is deserving.  

73, Dave KH2/N2NL aka NH2T


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