[3830] CQWW SSB GM5X(GM4YXI) SOSB/15 HP

[webform at b41h.net]

                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB

Call: GM5X
Operator(s): GM4YXI
Station: GM4YXI

Class: SOSB/15 HP
QTH: Ellon, UK
Operating Time (hrs): 31

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:                    
   80:                    
   40:                    
   20:                    
   15: 4404    39      142
   10:                    
------------------------------
Total: 4404    39      142  Total Score = 1,831,539

Club: North of Scotland Contest Group

Comments:

After my well publicised and analysed tower disaster and general antenna havoc
after the storm a month ago, my CQWWSSB plans for another outing in SOAB were
in tatters. The only antennas I had were my 15m and 10m yagis and the F12 C3. I
felt I had done enough 10m SB with CQWWCW and ARRL 10m last year so decided that
I would have another go at 15m SB. Last time I did this was in 1998!
All the solar number suggested that things would probably be down on last year,
though my perspective from my 2011 SOAB effort as ZK2X was not much of a
comparison. The general consensus on this reflector seems to be the predicted
‘pretty good but not as good as last year’......
I had literally 3 weekend days at home between the tower collapse and the
contest. It took 2 days to dismantle the mess, and another day to reinstall the
repaired tower section, new wire guys etc so installation of a new home-brewed
4el 15 yagi was a nocturnal affair â€" weekday nights by lamplight! I had no
chance to operate before the contest but heard that conditions were excellent
earlier last week.
Saturday was pretty good on 15m. Of the 15 hours I was QRV, 7 produced >200
QSOs each, three >190, best was a 253 hour, one of the highest I have ever
managed from this QTH. JA was strong and there were loads of EU in the morning
whilst NA opened early and stayed in pretty well with a long opening to
W6/7/VE7 including many KL7 and several KH6. Steve G0AEV mentioned static rain.
That was an issue here too, Saturday am, but it was not too bad and the low C3
seemed relatively immune. It was not even close to the 4el monobander at 24m on
long hauls but kept me in the game. I had a sudden powercut mid afternoon
Saturday for no apparent reason since the weather was relatively benign. This
lost me 20 mins, my run frequency and my calm! I ended the day with over 2800
QSOs, about 100 DXCC but was missing a good few East and African zones. 
Sunday started off very well too. The band opened even earlier for me â€" about
0545 but it took 30mins to be heard and over an hour to be runnable. But by 0700
I had a great run of loud JAs started. Admixed with EU and other nice stuff,
this lasted a couple of hours but quickly thereafter the band shortened, the
JAs and BYs all but disappeared and I felt things were a lot tougher than on
Saturday. Subsequently the band was slow to open to NA but after around 1630 or
so, things seemed to pick up again, were decent for a spell, but went off faster
than on Saturday night. By 2200 the band was dead save for a few EU stations
CQing to the death.  I also lost a good run spot with NA on Sunday afternoon
when the top end of the band, where I had been forced into exile, was wiped out
by s9+ modulated hash that seemed to be coming from out (above) the band, ?BC
QRM, not sure â€" it lasted several hours.
I was very lucky with mults on Sunday. Each time I got QRMed from my run
frequency or had to stop to pee I did a quick band sweep and usually found
something.  Some of the announced operations that I never found, actually found
me, for which I am grateful. I was gob-smacked to be called by Z81D! I missed
zone 23. I also never worked GW, GI or GD and heard precious few Gs of any
flavour.
Several have commented, yet again, on QRM and splatter. Even 15m was a
nightmare, especially on Sunday. Most times, when I acquired a noisy neighbour,
I asked kindly if they could move a bit and always, bar one, did they agree. For
that, gentlemen, a big thanks. OK7O CQed in my face. I was asked to move once,
by S50R. I moved. It seems that having a relatively clean signal is a
disadvantage â€" not good. I wonder if the WW SDR recordings that are going to
be checking what we said can also be used to address this issue? 
I was surprised and pleased by the final result. At the start I never thought
I’d make over 4k QSOs and get so close to Chris MI0LLL’s EU record. In
retrospect, propagation on Saturday was pretty favourable.
Thanks to everyone for all the QSOs and great fun.
73 Keith GM4YXI


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