[3830] RTTY WPX W6QU(W8QZA) SOAB QRP

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CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest

Call: W6QU
Operator(s): W8QZA
Station: W8QZA

Class: SOAB QRP
QTH: San Diego, CA
Operating Time (hrs): 29.7

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
   80:   27
   40:   71
   20:  184
   15:   91
   10:    1
------------
Total:  374  Prefixes = 212  Total Score = 153,488

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Comments:

STATION W8QZA:

Radio: Yaesu FT-817, 5 Watts.

Antennas:
  10-15-20 Meters: 3 el Stepp-IR up 32 feet
  40 Meters: DX-LB trap dipole up 30 feet
  40-80 Meters: Butternut HF-2V Vertical with 3 radials
-------------------------------------------------------
Conditions were much worse than last year, of course, and my score is about 2/3
of last year's score. But it always seems to be fun, only the challenges are
different.

I am embarrassed to say that I started an hour late this year after getting
mixed up the standard time correction. You would think this would be a "no
brainer" by now, but it wasn't! Imagine the jolt it gave me to race home,
turn on the rig 5 minutes before I thought it was to start, and hearing the
bands full of stations sending exchanges. That doesn't even qualify as a
beginner's mistake! Still, the contest is limited to 30 hours anyway, but that
first hour is often my best of the contest.

The only problem (...other than that) was a horrific S-9+ electrical arc buzz
that came on about Sunday noon. I had to quit for an hour anyway, so I quit
hoping it would disappear. An hour later I came back and it was gone and I was
able to complete the contest without further difficulty.

I had no outstanding Qs in this contest. I was just glad to get into Europe for
19 Qs split between 20 and 15, but that is down from 81 in 2016 and 135 in 2015.
As the DX Qs drop, I make up partly with more US-VE, but the points aren't
there.

10 M: Only one Q with WQ6X. This despite going to 10 M many times to check and
even calling CQ. TKS WQ6X for keeping me an ALL band entry (Hi)!!

15 M: 10 European Qs including a couple over in Zone 15. I never worked a BY or
BV, but did get 3 YB's which can be very tough for me.

20 M: 9 Eurpoean Qs with half in Zone 15. In the Pacific I did well with A31MM,
two E5's, 5W, and YB.  But no VK - ZL!

40 M: Mostly US-VE with a few Carribean and KH6s.

80 M: I had 27 Qs but all were in Zones 3 and 4.  I had worked VK6KXW on 80 M
JT-65 just a couple days before the contest for my best DX ever on 80 and was
hoping for at least a KH6. But no.

DXCC was 41, down from 59 last year. WAZ was 21 down from 26 last year.

So condx are worse, but it is still fun!  ...just different. Now on to ARRL DX
CW this next weekend where I expect to start on time!

73 and GL!!  Bill  W6QU - W8QZA


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