[3830] WPX CW VP9UKR(VE3DZ) SOAB Unassisted TB-Wires LP

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                    CQWW WPX Contest, CW - 2022

Call: VP9UKR
Operator(s): VE3DZ
Station: VP9GE

Class: SOAB LP
Class Overlay: Unassisted TB-Wires 
QTH: Bermuda
Operating Time (hrs): 35.8
OpMode: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:  211
   40:  605
   20: 1036
   15:  501
   10:   19
------------
Total: 2372  Prefixes = 797  Total Score = 6,360,857

Club: Contest Club Ontario

Comments:

Didn't plan a serious effort in this one, the trip was intended to be a vacation
style operation. However, thanks to the Bermuda Licensing Authority and the help
of Ed, VP9GE, I managed to obtain a special license with the call VP9UKR
(Support Ukraine) at the very last moment.
So, decision was made to maximize the score and total QSO count using this
call.
I had a couple of RigExpert interfaces with me and Ed, VP9GE provided me with
the 2nd radio (FT920) in addition to my Elecraft K3. John, VP9NI who appeared to
be a Canadian living in Bermuda supplied me with great variety of connectors,
adaptors and cables, which in combintion with some wires and tools that Ed gave
me on the spot allowed me to assemble simple SO2R interface.
Antennas I had on the spot: A4S Tribander, 40 and 80 m dipoles and 160 m Inv.
L.
So, actually my SO2R operation would be handicapped: only a combination of 80/40
or 40 with a selection of any (but only one at a time) higher band.
However, I found out that I could tune a 160 m antenna on 20 using my K3's
internal tuner and people somehow could even hear me. That gave me some kind of
opportunity to be on 20 and 15 m at the same time.
Conditions were more than great few days before the Contest which made me hope
for a pretty good score. And the start of the Contest proved it - I had steady
rate of 110-130 Q's/hr which is pretty good for Low Power and such simple
antennas. However, when after taking a first short nap I returned to higher
bands, it was a disaster. 15 meters never really opened and 10 meters were dead
as a post. Murphy doesn't sleep.
Somehow I managed to continue on 20 with occasional contacts on 15, but
S&P'ing would bring better rate than CQ. Which forced me to take early
break.
On Sunday conditions improved a bit, but still not enough to produce decent
rate, so it was mostly a S&P Contest for me this time.
10 m never opened to EU or U.S. from here, and trying to work loud but deaf
South Americans appeared to be not really a good idea. One question popped up in
my head at that time: why call CQ TEST at 40 wpm if one can't copy legit call at
20 wpm speed???
Anyway, it was a great contest with a lot of contacts with a lot of old friends,
and it was a nice opportunity to remind the World about Ukraine, a victim of
cowardly Russian aggression.
Thanks to all for the Q's, and again gratitude to Ed VP9GE and John VP9NI
without whom this operation would not be possible and also special thanks to my
lovely XYL who is tolerating a crazy guy like myself!


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