[3830] CQWW CW N9SE SOAB(A) QRP

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CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: N9SE
Operator(s): N9SE
Station: N9SE

Class: SOAB(A) QRP
QTH: IN
Operating Time (hrs): 30

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:   22     6        8
   80:   24    11       12
   40:   95    14       48
   20:  107    20       59
   15:   80    17       46
   10:   23     8       16
------------------------------
Total:  351    76      189  Total Score = 22,843

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

I know we are all tired of hearing complaints about geomagnetic storms and such,
but when you're operating QRP with simple wire antennas, it is painful. Really.
Single digit rates with sometimes 30 minutes or more between QSOs. At one
point, I made a complete pass thru 40M without finding one workable station.
After such a miserable Saturday, I was so disgusted I literally quit the
contest and went to bed before EU sunrise. 

I slept a full night and decided to turn the radio on listen for a while after
local sunrise on Sunday. The bands still sounded weak, but I tried a few calls
and to my surprise I had a wonderful S&P run on 20M. It seemed like I
worked just about everything I could hear on the first call. Then it got back
to normal QRP --calling for minutes at a time while the QRO stations worked the
one I was after, then when a lull finally comes, it's an even bet that the
station will call CQ in my face... (but that's normal, QSY and go work someone
else :).

I had another great S&P run on 40M --almost two hours before sunset. It was
awesome. I was working really weak EU with one call. This lasted until the rest
of NA started going to 40M, then it was back to normal again.

Although Sunday was better, I think I am going to give up working QRP in CQWW.
It's just not worth it. Sweepstakes, yes. CQWW, no. (...and then over the next
12 months I'll probably forget about the pain and suffering and do it all over
again next year.) 

73, Marty N9SE

K3S at 5 watts and fan dipoles


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