[3830] WAE SSB VY2ZM M/S HP

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                    WAE DX Contest, SSB

Call: VY2ZM
Operator(s): VY2ZM K1LZ K3JO WX3B VY2HH
Station: VY2ZM

Class: M/S HP
QTH: PEI
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  QTCs  Mults
-------------------------
   80:  294   283   148
   40:  506   501   135
   20: 1504  1499   106
   15:   44    43    26
   10:    0     0     0
-------------------------
Total: 2348  2326   415  Total Score = 1,935,975

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments:

In late May, just after CQ WPX CW, K1LZ, K3JO and I decided we would do a M/S in
WAE SSB from PEI in September.  The original plan was to include Adi S55M and
Chak JT1CO as part of the team.  Adi had a vacation commitment in the end and
could not join us.  Chak was committed to his extensive wheat harvest in
Mongolia and thus could not join us also - so it lookd like it would be just the
three of us plus my XYL Miriam in the end.

It happened, however, that Jim, WX3B, had planned a visit to PEI with his wife
Elizabeth for early September and thus was able to join us at the very last
minute on Sunday afternoon for a few hours which was a most welcome addition to
the team (as his rental cottage was only about 20 mins away from the VY2ZM QTH.)


On Thursday night before the contest both 40m and 80m were roaring here at VY2ZM
and we had visions of a great weekend coming up on the lowbands.  15M had shown
no evidence of any European propagation for the previous 10 days or so so we had
expected a lowband contest during darkness and operations on 20m during the day
while checking 15M for a possible opening.

THE CONTEST

As things started, it soon became obvious that 40M was totally "wacky"
by 0045z and what should have been 100+ hours were a real slog at ridiculously
low rates.  80M was not much better - and by about 0300z we had basically NO
PROP into Europe on 40M and only a little better prop on 80M.

So basically, we listened to Mark and his team operating as KD4D all night long
on 40M working Eu stations that were below the noise floor here on VY2.  As the
sun arose about 0933z here on PEI were were grateful to hear some EU again and
our fortunes began to rise immediately.

20M went well all day - we even heard EI7M working a 9X9 station on 15M but
could not attract his attention at the time and that was all she wrote on 15M on
Saturday.  15M was a total washout!

Fortunately, we benefited from good rates on 40M and 80M on SATURDAY night early
- but again by about 0600z, 40m became just hiss again until our SR - as we
listened to Mark and crew closing on us all night long.

On Sunday morning, 20M reappeared at SR and we had a good day there again.

Around 1230z EI7M started breaking the hiss on 15m and we managed to work him
this time after a few calls.  For the next 90 minutes we had our only shot at
15M and managed to work our 44 EU stations during this brief window.  There was
nothing elsefor us on 15M for the remainder of the day Sunday.

As expected, KD4D seemed to have a pretty good day down South on 15M on Sunday
and we did our best to remain competitive by staying on 20M garnering additional
rate and QTC's as there was little else we could do at the time.

Around 1700z Jim WX3B arrived and we were delighted to sit him down in the chair
on 20M so we could watch him perform some magic for a couple of hours.  It was a
much needed respite for Krassy, Velimir and me as we each had managed only a
couple of hours of fitful sleep here and there up to that point during the
contest.


My wife, Miriam VY2HH/KK1ZM, Velimir and I decided to go into town at 2100z to
see PEI's best fiddler while Krassy finished out the last 3 hours of the contest
alone.

Although Miriam didn't actually spend any operating time in the chair, she kept
us well-fed along the way and made sure we were well taken care of with snacks
and drinks as neeed.

I should be sure to compliment the guys down South at KD4D for a great effort as
usual from what I guess was the N3HBX superstation.  The caliber of operating
was obviously superb from what we kept hearing along the way - and we enjoyed
what was a great competition despite the wretched condx for us all.

Finally, thanks to all of those friends who called in to work us - it was much
appreciated.  We had a good time up here....

73 and CU in the next contest we hope!

Jeff, Krassy, Velimir, Jim and my XYL Miriam (who is a real saint!)


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