[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): 36
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    6
   80:   77
   40:  540
   20: 1045
   15: 1593
   10:  171
------------
Total: 3432  Prefixes = 1007  Total Score = 12,004,447

Club: Florida Contest Group

Comments:

K3/TS930 AL1200/SB1000
Spiderbeam @ 40ft
Dipole for 10/15/20 (2nd radio)
40m vertical
80/160m top loaded vertical + Beverages

After last year's horrid conditions, I tried not to set super high expectations
for this weekend.  The WPX CW is a favorite of mine, so there was some nervous
anticipation knowing that I might be packing for a transfer this time next
year, so this might be my last shot at this contest from Guam.  It was really
great to hear how good conditions were, and especially to hear overnight
propagation into Europe and North America on 15 and 20m.  Last year I struggled
to work just over 400 Europeans.  This year I worked more EU than Asia, nearly
1100 QSOs total.  Big numbers out of NA remain somewhat elusive from here with
the reduced activity due to the holiday weekend.

I took a guess at off-time and lucked out.  I operated the first 22 hours and
took most of the 2nd day's daylight hours off.  The bands really faded both
days after the sun came up due to high absorption - and after working the
majority of Asia the first day, there wasn't much left to work the 2nd.  I
ended up running out of operating time with two hours left in the contest,
which is right about when the overnight conditions started fading.  The 2nd
night definitely was not as good as the first, but it was still 1000% better
than last year!

Funny story - I have Beverage receive antennas in the jungle next to my house. 
Many wild pigs (amongst other things) live in the jungle.  While working a NA
station on 80m the 1st night, the Beverage suddenly went dead.  During a break,
I investigated to discover a pig had bit into the feedline, and took off,
dragging a long piece of coax (along with a remote coax switch) about a hundred
yards deeper into the jungle.  1st time that's ever happened!  It took a couple
hours to fix - so I'm feeling as I would after a 48-hour operating stint.

My final score tops the existing Oceania SOAB record (9.1 million).  I'm sure a
ton of records got broken this year!

Finally, it was a real pleasure to meet Harry, WX8C and JP, OH6RX, after the
contest and exchange war stories.  They were operating from Danny KH2JU's
station as AH2Y.

73, Dave KH2/N2NL


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