[3830] JIDX CW W7YAQ SOAB HP

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                    JIDX CW Contest

Call: W7YAQ
Operator(s): W7YAQ
Station: W7YAQ

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Sisters OR
Operating Time (hrs): 14.6

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    2     2
   80:   42    20
   40:  150    39
   20:   85    27
   15:  233    41
   10:   15    11
-------------------
Total:  527   140  Total Score = 82,600

Club: Willamette Valley DX Club

Comments:

This is the first time I have operated the JIDX Contest.  I thought the
experience would be similar to working the ARRL DX Contest from out-of-country.
 For a variety of reasons it was not.

I didn’t get on until near local sunrise Saturday and was planning to operate
low power.  However, starting on 160 M I could not raise JI3KDH barefoot, so
clicked on the KPA500 to make that contact and the decision to enter HP was
settled.  I operated unassisted, but didn’t see a distinction between
assisted and unassisted in the operating rules.

As a first-timer I do not know what normal conditions or activity are like. 
But overall the JA activity was lower than I was expecting.  I operated nearly
15 hours but missed 3 of the 47 prefectures (29 Fukai, 32 Shimane, and 44 Oita)
as well as the 3 island multipliers 48, 49, 50.  I heard plenty of juicy DX
(like JT1CO, 9M2M, and 3D2SE) calling CQ JIDX with few responses.  So my empty
CQs were not surprising.  It also seemed that many of the stalwart JA contest
stations sat this one out.  North American participation seemed low, though
NX6T, VE7CC, VE7JH, KA6BIM, N7IR, WN6K, WJ9B, and the many arms of N6RO were
plenty active.  I have not yet checked others comments, but will be interested
in hearing whether others felt activity should have been higher.  Maybe it was
just poor condx.

15 and 40 were the money bands.  During time on 20, we were competing with the
GC contest.  This meant CQ Zones, ITU Zones, and Prefecture numbers were
jumbling together.  Unfortunately none of the 29s I heard was Fukai prefecture.
 The contrast between the frenzied 35-45 wpm GC exchanges and the polite 20-28
wpm JIDX exchanges was fascinating.

10 meters barely opened here.  Spent a good five minutes trying without success
to complete a skew-path QSO with JA1ZGP, only to work him 20 minutes later 599
direct path.  Curious to be hearing loud 9M2, YBs, and E2/HS stations without a
workable JA signal.

Anyway, in spite of the frustrations it was fun to contact many good JA
friends.

73,
Bob W7YAQ


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