[3830] WPX CW KQ2M SOAB HP

Tue May 28 19:55:57 EDT 2013

                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: KQ2M
Operator(s): KQ2M
Station: KQ2M

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: CT
Operating Time (hrs): 14.4

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:    0
   40:  418
   20:  668
   15:  548
   10:    0
------------
Total: 1634  Prefixes = 718  Total Score = 3,180,022

Club: Frankford Radio Club

Comments:

I had hoped to make a serious effort in WPXCW this year, but a nasty illness
starting three weeks before the contest meant that there was no time after
recovery to fix the still broken wire antennas.  Making matters worse was the
fact that as I recovered, a new and serious health issue took hold - a result
of the underlying auto-immune illness that I have been battling for the past 14
months.  Friday night came and I did not even have the strength to hook up my
station to operate.  But this was WPXCW - one of my favorite contests.  The
idea of not being able to operate was very upsetting. I wasn't sure that I
would be able to get on, but with a new medicine I had a brief respite on
Saturday and hooked everything up and away we went! 

I knew that cndx were pretty poor - a K of 5 plus an auroral oval reading of 9,
is synonymous with PAIN!  - but that is during the daytime.  At night you might
still get a band opening.  So when I started Saturday on 20 at ~ 1930z, I
expected some good rate and then noticed that I was not able to handle the rate
- struggling to keep up at 140+ per hour. It was not just rust - I was too
fatigued and mentally slow.  It was very humbling!

I was pleasantly surprised to be called by 3A2MD on 20 at 2037z, but it was
pretty routine with a marginal EU opening, rapid QSB and everyone zero beat
calling me.  The polar route was almost completely shut down - Just KL7RA, RW0A
UP0L and UP2L.  The rate was still 130+ per hour but I was too exhausted. 
Normally I would just be starting to warm up after a few hours, but now I
needed a break after only 2 hours of operating!  I lay down and took a nap and
then got back on at 2339 on 40.  EU stations were loud but the rate was so-so
at 120 ish per hour and falling fast.  Clearly many stations were taking
off-time or were on 15 or 20.  I was on 40 for the 6-pointers and because I was
"fresh-meat" and should have good rate.  I stayed with 40 for about 3
1/2 hours and had fun in the 01z hour with 4U1ITU, 5N7M and a LOUD A65BP
calling in.  The freq. was good and the rate solid but I was completely wiped
out.  I had to qrt at 0312z well before EU sunrise.

I got sleep and did not get on until 1138z on 20 where cndx were okay but not
great.  The K stayed high and the polar path was marginal at best.  When 20
went long to JA, there were only a few on the band and EU almost disappeared. 
VK6DXI called in at 1215z along with about 20 JA's.  Finally at 1247z I qsy'ed
to 15 and expected a big pileup.  WRONG!  Cndx were marginal and qsb really
challenging with poor signal strengths.  I took offtime at 1305z but got back
on at  1416z with noticeably better cndx.  A loud JO3JIS called in at 1434z
raised my hopes for a big run - but it was not to be.  It wasn;t until ~ 15z
that 15 really got going, but the volume was low - a lot of people probably
were taking off-time or had already qrt'd from the poor cndx on Fri/Sat.  A
VERY loud UN3M called in at 1523z and then a SUPER LOUD B7M called at 1529z. 
While I was absorbing how B7M could be so loud with almost no one else calling
in from Asia, 9M6XRO called in 15 seconds later - a solid s9!  NOW I was wide
awake and psyched!  Unfortunately that was about it for excitement.  We would
get openings of 5 minutes LOUD and 5 - 10 minutes weak.  I could not sustain
the rate above 100/hr even with good cndx.  I took more off-time and then came
back on at 2102z for a JA run on 15.  Well it was disappointing.  There were
some surprisingly loud JA stations but very few of them.  The band was still
partially open to Europe, but most of the EU stations were on 20, 40 and 80
now.

I was happy and pleasantly surprised to hear a loud NH2T at 2205z - it was good
to see that Dave was able to get on and operate as he deals with his very
serious illness. I said "Feel Better".  Some other JA's and a RT0C
called in but clearly I belonged on 20.  A quick qsy at 2226z brought loud EU
and Russian signals and bbetter rate.  The 23z hour produced a decent
Russian/Central Asian opening with UN5C, 7X2GK, 4K6FO, 4L8A, RK0UT and several
other UA9's.

This was a low key one radio/few antenna effort for a very health-compromised
operator to get on when I had the strength, so I was pleased with my 
1634 q's x 718 mults for 3.18 Meg in 14.4 hours. 

WPXCW for me in recent years has been fraught with severe illnesses and
hospital trips and under different circumstances I might have been able to make
a competitive score. I remain optimistic that next year will be better!

Thank you for all the qsos!

73
Bob KQ2M

kq2m at kq2m.com

www.rlsfinancialgroup.com
www.kq2m.com

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