[3830] CQWW SSB P40W(W2GD) SOAB LP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB

Call: P40W
Operator(s): W2GD
Station: P40W

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: Aruba
Operating Time (hrs): 37

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:   34     4       10
   80:   96    12       29
   40:  341    23       77
   20: 1069    33       98
   15:  809    29       96
   10: 2152    29       99
------------------------------
Total: 2152   130      409  Total Score = 7,127,197

Club: Frankford Radio Club

Comments:

Location:  Santa Cruz, Aruba - 1Km from P40L/P49Y and 8Km from P40S/P49V
Station:  K3 100 Watts + Win-Test Logging Software
Antennas:  160M - Vertical Dipole, Inverted V
80M  3el wire beam (EU), Inverted V
40M  Force 12 Delta 240, 4el wire beam (EU)
20M - 10M  Force 12 C31XR and C3
Beverages NE, NW, N/S, E/W

A few comments:

This was my 105th visit to "One Happy Island" and there were the
usual "surprises".  In he weeks before this journey I'd made
plans/preparations for a serious run at the 12 year old SOAB LP record.  But
the sun supplied us all with some "challenges" this week.  

Preceding the contest the flux had steadily risen to the 220's but with this
rise in sunspots also came disturbed conditions, and particularly problematic 
was the very high absorption level on 160 and 80 meters, which continued during
the weekend.  Two Class X flares (Saturday and Sunday) and associated SID
blackout periods brought serious operating to a total halt for up to 45 minutes
as the bands recovered. Down here we heard the sun "talking" to us
LOUDLY. 

I suppose it could have been worse for me, if my plans had been a QRP operation
this weekend.

Upon arrival last Monday afternoon, found the station largely intact since the
last visit for WPX CW.  Other than three minor breaks in the beverages, and a
rotor control cable failure, nothing difficult to fix.  Re-installing the 4 el
40 and 3 el 80 wire beams completed station preparations by late Tuesday
afternoon.

Enjoyed all the socializing this week with friends.  Dinner Tuesday evening
with David, NA2AA (PJ4X operator) his fiance Laura and Mike K9NW, and then with
P40L (W6LD, K9PG, WE9V and K9NW) and P40S (K9RS, K4ISV) teams on Thursday night
before and then again last evening after the contest. The smallness of our
'country' has some nice advantages.

There certainly is "No Meters Like Ten Meters".  Sunday morning
enjoyed running way up at 29231 for an extended period of time.  Felt 15 meters
suffered all weekend with everyone spread out on 10, and 20 meters was largely a
waste land during much of both days due to solar storm absorption.  

This was NOT a Low Power (or QRP) weekend....despite the spectacular 10 meter
conditions. Found the ability to run was inconsistent and at times totally
impossible without power.  Comparing cluster spots this morning, my HP amigos
P40S and P40L had 6+ times the spot count over the weekend.  Seemingly runs
were spot dependent for me.  In retrospect I spent far to much time in S/P -
DXing mode but had fun chasing mults.  The thrill running LP (or QRP) is
breaking through huge pileups using just timing and finesse.   

Unfortunately there were far too many stations with broad signals, particularly
from EU.  I hope the SDR recordings from around the world help the adjudicators
to identify the worst offenders and bring some justice.  Turn the gain down
guys!   And then there are the operators who leave a frequency to work a mult
and feel they still own the frequency they left when they return minutes
later....sorry, you leave it, you loose it.  PERIOD!  

Looking forward to returning to Aruba in three weeks for CQWW CW, along with
AE6Y/P49Y and KU1CW/P40?.  

Thanks again for all of the QSOs.

73,

John, W2GD  aka P40W/P44W


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