[3830] WPX CW NA0CW(W8QZA) SOAB QRP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: NA0CW
Operator(s): W8QZA
Station: W8QZA

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: San Diego, CA
Operating Time (hrs): 35

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:    2
   40:   80
   20:  152
   15:  424
   10:   61
------------
Total:  719  Prefixes = 441  Total Score = 698,544

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Comments:

Radio: Elecraft K-2

Antennas:

10-15-20: Three element SteppIR up 32 feet
40-80: Butternut HF-2V Vertical
40: DX-LB trap dipole up 30 feet

__________________________________________________

I finally devised a "fool-proof" way to easily keep track of my operating time
in this contest. So I confidentally thought I had operated 36 hours. However,
somehow in the middle of the first night, I subtracted 9 from 14 and got 4
instead of 5. Hence the operating time of 35 hrs instead of 36.

This is the highest score I have ever had in a WPX contest from my home station
in 23 years of contesting. For comparison, my previous high was 466 K during the
1999 WPX CW contest.

The big difference was that there was propagation from out here on the west
coast into Europe on 15 Meters for much of both nights. I don't remember ever
having seen that before! As an example, I worked UN9GD and other eastern
Russians, 9K2RA and A65BD at around 11 PM local time. It was amazing to hear
eastern Europeans booming in the middle of the night on 15.

Even though 15 meters had outstanding propagation, I never even heard Europe on
10 Meters. The QSO count tells the story.

40 Meters was fun for the limited time I spent there. I was able to work VK9PN
(Lord Howe) and VK6DXI an hour or so before sunrise. Amazing to get to the
other side of Australia on south Indian Ocean with 5 watts and a vertical that
is only 32 feet tall!

Congratulations to the team at 4L0A. I heard them many times with very strong
signals. I worked them easily with my 5 watts and could have worked them many
times over! to put this in context, I have only had about 3 or 4 Qs with 4L
over the last 23 years. 

Many thanks to my long time friend (50+ years) Phil, N0KE, for letting me use
the club call, NA0CW, for this contest. It was great knowing that I was giving
a mult for many of the Qs.

Well that's it for 5 months. Boy, this hobby is fun!!

73,   ....Bill  W8QZA  NA0CW  W6QU


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