[3830] CQWW CW VA7ST SOAB HP

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                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW - 2021

Call: VA7ST
Operator(s): VA7ST
Station: VA7ST

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: BC
Operating Time (hrs): 32

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:    9     3        2
   80:  301    15       17
   40:  422    20       48
   20:  763    24       57
   15:  510    18       38
   10:   29     7        8
------------------------------
Total: 2034    87      170  Total Score = 1,149,304

Club: Orca DX and Contest Club

Comments:

Equipment ran very well, except for one Murphy visit late on Saturday night.
Heavy, steady rain over the past two weeks got into the coax feedline for the
80M wire vertical, and I got the nasty surprise of arc faults at 11 p.m. Took
much of an hour swapping out coax jumpers in the shack (my first suspicion), but
nothing solved the issue. It was definitely out at the antenna end of things. 

After midnight now, got into my winter gear and took Boomer the antenna
assistant border collie out into the dark, scary and very wet night, temp
hovering just above 0C/32F. He was happy as a pig in coleslaw to go for a walk
in the dark, and stood guard for racoons and squirrels at the fence line while I
inspected the feedpoint (fine) and traced the coax around the property toward
the house. Found the faulty barrel connector joining two runs of coax. It had
been on the ground for a few years with no ill effects until now -- took it
apart, dried it as best I could in the drizzle, and rewrapped it with 3M tape.
Issue resolved and ran 80M nicely for the rest of the night.

I told Scott VY1CO and Ed VE4VT that I had neglected my routine 80M antenna
walkabout before the contest because the weather was nasty for weeks. Seems I
should have gone out in the rain days ago. Lesson learned.

Other than that, I was impressed with the bands. 10M was okay within the
hemisphere on Saturday, but dead here Sunday. Just a few Qs to make a token
appearance in the score -- it'll get a lot better soon.

15M opened slowly on Saturday morning with Aurora quite apparent, but as the day
grew long the band was pretty good. Even a bit of an EA8/EA6 path but nothing
much worked over the pole in Europe. Without EU the mult total was
disappointing.

20M was super on Sunday (I left it alone on Saturday, focusing on 15M, so I had
a lot of ground to cover on 20M on Sunday). Best surprise was S79 Seychelles
calling me while I was running and pointed southeast. He was so strong I hardly
believed the callsign and got it twice :)

40M was great with a massive EU opening on Friday evening that made even my low
rotary dipole feel like a real antenna. 

80M was very good with quite a few more mult worked that last year, though not
quite as good activity-wise.

160M was a bust here. I never did put the amp on for that band so 100W worked a
small handful of regional stations for the closest mults. Lots left on the table
there.

The JA operators deserve a special commendation for their patience and
sportsmanship, seeming to avoid calling over one another in the pileups. Well
done, and much appreciated. 

Overall, I met both my goals of 2,000 Qs and 1M points. With an hour to go I was
65 QSOs short of 2000. Rate was very slow but improved in the final 45 minutes
-- by pressing very hard I managed to hit the target with 15 minutes remaining
and continued to add an extra 34 for safety.

As usual -- and maybe more than I have in a long time -- I had a total blast
this weekend. I love this contest. There, I said it. This is the first CQWW CW
since I retired, so I get to recover guilt-free for a day or two. Usually, I had
to fake being alive at work on Monday, hi hi.

Thanks to all for the QSOs and your patience. See you out there in the next
one.

-- Bud VA7ST

       QSOs  Ctry   Zn  Score
2021: 2,034   170   87  1,149,304 HP 32 hrs
2020: 2,241   109   80    924,210 HP 31 hrs
2019: 1,164   112   61    425,407 HP 26 hrs
2018: 1,644   163   75    878,458 HP 32 hrs
2017: 1,989   154   74    970,368 HP 37 hrs
2016: 1,226   122   61    478,179 HP 23 hrs
2015: 2,170   239  111  1,750,700 HP 34.5 hrs
2014: 2,372   264  113  2,099,136 HP 34 hrs
2013: 2,075   246  118  1,798,160 HP 31 hrs
2012: 2,365   249  104  1,888,550 HP 36 hrs
2011: 2,114   248  109  1,725,024 HP 32 hrs
2010: 1,721   180   92  1,033,056 HP 32 hrs 
2009: 1,777   158   92    950,750 HP 31 hrs
2008: 1,580   129   71    670,600 HP 25 hrs
2007  1,470   129   69    615,582 HP 32 hrs
2006  1,476   163   78    775,297    35 hrs
2005  1,014   126   61    411,587
2004  1,421   146   79    697,500
2003    865   115   73    351,936
2002    675   147   63    313,740


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