[3830] WPX CW CR1X(OH2BH) SOSB15 HP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: CR1X
Operator(s): OH2BH
Station: CR2X

Class: SOSB15 HP
QTH: Azores, EU
Operating Time (hrs): 36

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:     
   40:     
   20:     
   15: 3236
   10:     
------------
Total: 3236  Prefixes = 1168  Total Score = 7,592,000

Club: Contest Club Finland

Comments:

It was funny, to say the least. We had set the European target for 12.5 Meg at
Radio Arcala and had taken steps accordingly. But it was not to be. Toivo,
ES2RR was to work the Azores contest machine (CR2X) to its extreme, but just
one day prior to departure there was a death in his family and his trip was
called off. I pay homage to Toivo for his dedication as I was one to receive an
immediate call after everything had happened. Toivo was firmly committed to
making the Azores trip but the reasons mentioned above were probably the only
thing that ultimately caused him to stay in his native Estonia. We extend our
condolences Toivo - keep supporting your family during these hard times. God
bless to you all.

So, at the outset, with non-refundable tickets, Leena, OH2BE and I were to fly
to the Azores for no reason other than to host Toivo on his first visit to the
Azores. Adding to this was another young death to befall on a friend of Toni,
OH2UA - all of which made us wonder about the meaning of mankind.

But with the station in hand and spurred by Leena’s encouragement, I found
myself climbing up the hill at sunrise â€" not at 00UTC - to dish out a CR1
mult for friends and to listen in on the game. I have not done CW contests
seriously for ages and besides, full-board contests are no easy fare for a
transplant person. Moreover, high blood pressure is no good for you to secure
your wake-up the following morning. So, I had promised to be back for dinner at
dawn. Great home-grown potatoes given to us by Jose, CU2CE and Paula, CU2YL were
cooked with the best credentials, as I was to find out later â€" much later!

But the smell of kerosene got this old man - you just cannot avoid it.
Apparently we are never too old for a good run - we seem to be a hopeless
bunch, I have to admit.

As 15M kept producing good rates, what can you do but stay at it? At dawn I
called Leena and excused myself - noticed her support, though - and there I
went full steam ahead, sending all full zeros as I did not remember how to cut
them shorter on my aging TR. So it went around the clock twice and more -
totally 24 hours - on one sitting. And the borrowed organs were still
ticking...

So I figured 12 more hours and I would be participating in the WPX CW Contest
for real! Getting back to the house only in the morning, microwaving the
potatoes and more was not exactly what I had planned. Few hours of rest and
back for another 12 hour run, and the matter was settled. I had run 15M dry
down to the last Indian on the reservation, and the year 2000 15M European
record was smashed by a 40 percent margin. Totaling 36 hours, with one break
only. Strategy turned out as ”start late and finish early” - how simple.

What do you think my first thought was at the end? What about if I had done
those same 36 hours on all bands? No, it was just a bad 12.5 Meg dream.

There is a lesson for you to learn right here; if you are not in for a serious
run, go for a single band and just push the F1 button and push it again -
victories will come your way with no stress. Single bands are good for old
people - they are straightforward enough that no cheating is even required. One
operator is enough - only with a second operator’s organs!

Thanks to all of you 3236 great guys for QSOs and to the supportive pride of my
eye.

Martti, OH2BH operating CR1X


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