[3830] WPX CW PJ2T(WI9WI) SOAB LP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW

Call: PJ2T
Operator(s): WI9WI
Station: PJ2T

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: Signal Point
Operating Time (hrs): 35

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:    5
   40:  579
   20:  645
   15:  860
   10:  393
------------
Total: 2482  Prefixes = 853  Total Score = 7,779,360

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

This year I decided to do a low power entry again since conditions seemed
reasonably good the week before the contest. Rates were a bit slower than last
year, and by 0800Z I was about 100 QSOs behind last year's total. My strategy
involves spending most of the first night on 40 meters to maximize 6 point QSOs
since there isn't nearly as much activity on 40 the second night. At 0800 I got
up to get a glass of ice water and stretch my legs for a couple of minutes. As
soon as I stood up, the power went off. This is not unusual in Curacao, there
are often power outages or brownouts for maintenance. Unfortunately they
usually last at least a couple of hours if not longer. We have a generator, but
it was pitch black and pouring rain outside. I elected to lie down, rest and see
what happened. Unfortunately I had drunk a cup of coffee to get me through the
rest of the night a couple of hours earlier, and I couldn't sleep. The power
came back on almost 3 hours later. It was sunrise, and 40 was in its last
gasps. By then I was almost 300 QSOs and 83 mults behind last year and could
never really make up the deficit. I spent a couple of hours on 20 and then took
my scheduled 3 hour morning nap. So by 16 hours into the contest I was 300 QSOs
down and had used up half of my off time. I was a bit discouraged, but plodded
on. To try to make up some of the lost time I stayed up later than usual on
night two, mostly on 20 which was very productive for rate and mults. About
0730Z I took the rest of my off time, sleeping 6 plus hours. I thought I had
slept through the alarm by almost an hour, although later I discovered it
hadn't gone off. The clock was bad. I usually bring my own alarm clock, but
this time I had forgotten it at home. I later ended up taking about another
hour off in a couple of "unofficial" 30 minute breaks, which don't
count as off time, but don't get you any QSOs either. So my time management was
poor with the actual operating time being less than 34 hours. 

I thought the bands were pretty good considering the solar conditions. I even
made a trip to 80 for the first time in years for a few minutes when 40 was
being very slow. Eighty in this contest from the Caribbean tends to be non
productive due to lack of activity and thunderstorm QRN. This time it was
surprisingly quiet, but activity was minimal. Forty was also quite quiet.
Twenty was open all 48 hours. Fifteen was very good. Ten was productive in the
PMs to the states. It was open to Europe, with a few very strong stations, but
activity from there seemed to be very low.

Last year I had 8 hours with over 100 QSOs, this year only four. Last year The
QSOs were 47% NA and 43% Europe, this year it was 60% NA and 34% Europe. I
believe these statistics are the result of the waning solar cycle.

This was a boy and his radio operation. Single K3, single computer, no
internet, spotting, RBN or anything else.

Thanks to everyone for all the QSOs.

73

Jim
WI9WI


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