[3830] CQWW CW W6QU(W8QZA) SOAB QRP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: W6QU
Operator(s): W8QZA
Station: W8QZA

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: San Diego, CA
Operating Time (hrs): 30

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:    3     2        2
   80:   12     6        6
   40:   64    15       22
   20:   80    23       37
   15:  222    29       67
   10:  166    24       58
------------------------------
Total:  547    99      192  Total Score = 433,590

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Comments:

Station:
Radio: Elecraft K-2, 5 Watts

Antennas:

10-15-20 SteppIR up 32 feet
40       DX-LB Trap dipole up 30 feet in center
40-80    Butternut HF-2V Vertical 
160      Inverted L

***********************************************

Conditions here in Southern California were distinctly worse than for the SSB
weekend. The most important feature of conditions for QRP contesting from out
here is the quality of the morning 10 Meter European openings. Saturday morning
only resulted in a few Qs with Spain and Portugal. Sunday was better, but I was
only able to work western Europe with no Qs into Zone 15.

As a result, my score was down about 12% from last year. My Qs were down about
6%.

I had no problems with my station. With only a 32 foot tower, a couple
verticals, and a 5 watt rig, there isn't a lot to fail! 

I slept about 3 hours the first night and about 5 hours the second night. With
breaks for eating and clean-up, N1MM had me figured at 18 hours off for 30
hours of op time. I guess those "short" off times add up faster than I would
think! 

While 10 failed to provide the great European openings of the 2011 contest, it
still provided a lot of excitement with 9J, EL, C5, and some Pacific stuff.

15 Meters was my 'work horse' with ZD8, C5, ZS, D2, EL, D4 and good European
openings both days. Also, I actually managed to work a couple of Chinese
stations this time. These stations can be extremely strong and yet continue to
call CQ in my face under the best of circumstances. Perhaps they have bad local
power noise.

20 Meters was decent, but it is a tough band for QRP.  I only go there when I
have worked out 10 and 15 and then mostly go after the strongest stations.

40 Meters had a lot of JA activity and 40 of my 64 Qs were with JA. 

80 Meters gave me one of my most thrilling Qs with JA5FDJ! On 160 I only
managed to work locals and VE7FO. I continue to be astonished by the results
some QRP ops get on this band. Even with this inverted L I have a very tough
time getting more than 1,000 miles or so.

Miscellaneous facts from this contest:  

I never called CQ in this contest. The only DX contest I have succesfully been
able to CQ from here in my home station is the ARRL 10 M contest. 

I was amazed to come across Z60WW calling blank CQs on 15 M and got him in one
call. It is my only QSO with Kosovo to date. 

JAs were 153 of my 547 QSOs in this contest (28%)!! Too bad they are all one
country and one zone!!

My DXCC in this contest was 89. DXCC in a weekend is still a dream! I did have
33 different zones which is an all time high for me in one contest.

It was a lot of fun.  What other hobby lets you exchange brief greetings with
friends in the middle of the night that have travelled to far corners of the
world to participate?! I'll surely sleep well tonight and am already looking
forward to the ARRL 10 M contest!

Bill Parker  W8QZA - W6QU


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