[3830] IARU OH0X M/S HP

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                    IARU HF World Championship

Call: OH0X
Operator(s): OH2UA OH6KZP
Station: OH0X

Class: M/S HP
QTH: Brändö
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs  Zones  HQ Mults
-------------------------------------
  160:    88      0     6       23
   80:   211     41    17       37
   40:   372    214    31       51
   20:   625    654    41       56
   15:   272    273    32       45
   10:   104    339    14       32
-------------------------------------
Total:  1672   1521   141      244  Total Score = 3,762,990

Club: Contest Club Finland

Comments:

Up here in the Aurora Belt, when the local K-index hits 8 and VY2ZM on 20m is a
silent whisper that doesn't lift the S-meter, you know you're screwed.
Considering the circumstances, we are satisfied with the result.

While travelling to the station on Friday, after Thursday's Contest University
Finland, we found out about the X-flare. Further information showed that the
CME impact would take place about 2 hours into the contest. Thus we decided to
start full throttle on 10m and 15m and stay there for as long as they show
life, and to then descend and take whatever we can get from the lower bands. 

This worked well as the first hours were quite productive and enjoyable, and we
passed 1000 QSOs just after 1800z. That was when the CME finally hit, having
given us 4 hours more "good" time than we had budgeted. From then on it was an
EU QSO Party for us (Pts/Q = 3.06 instead of the planned 3.35), coupled with
watching the screaming-red auroral oval on the computer screen while we heard
its effect on the bands. Sunday was clearly worse propagation-wise (K up to
8).

Rates dropped, but we were able to keep things going by changing bands and
modes often. Interestingly, the rate always tended to go up as we began
discussing a change! As a consequence of the marginal conditions we fell short
from our target with regards to QSOs and ITU zone mults, but we were happy to
clearly exceed the HQ mult target. 

Thanks to all for the QSOs, and many thanks to the Brändö Island Group and
the Radio Arcala team for this opportunity!

73
Kim OH6KZP


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