[CCF] OH8X CQWW SSB 2010

[Marko Holmavuo]

Contest         : CQ World Wide DX Contest
Callsign        : OH8X
Mode            : PHONE
Category        : Single Operator (SO)
Overlay         : ---
Band(s)         : All bands (AB)
Class           : High Power (HP)
Zone/State/...  : 15
Locator         : KP35CE
Operating time  : 47h59

 BAND   QSO  CQ DXC DUP  POINTS   AVG
--------------------------------------
  160   142  11  49   1     163  1.15
   80   468  22  83   3     592  1.26
   40   825  34 102   8    1283  1.56
   20  2338  36 114  19    5417  2.32
   15  1424  34 115  11    2750  1.93
   10   102  15  44   1     158  1.55
--------------------------------------
TOTAL  5299 152 507  43   10363  1.96
======================================
       TOTAL SCORE : 6 829 217

Dupes are not included in QSO counts neither avg calculations

It was my pleasure to drive OH8X during CQ WW SSB 2010. I am quite happy
about the results:
*As far as I know, it is first time when more than 5000q achieved from main
OH-land in single-op category
*Previous national OH-record is 6,1Mp from year 2000 and seems to be history
now with margin like 0%.
*Seems to be possible to get nice position before logchecking also in
TOP3-EU.

When comparing all these mailstones passed in current solar cycle phase,
just wondering what might happen when we really
have propagation also on 10 an 15! After some post-contest analysing, i
think that it would have been possible to break 7Mio mailstone aswell.

Before the contest there were some tight external pressure-factors from
other competitors. I knew that there would be very tight competition
in nordic and baltic countries. Toni had plans to beat me from OH0, Tonno
left to 4O but get his home station manned, Tomi was going to OH0 aswell
just to
meantion few. I didn't know exactly what these quys were planning (what
category etc), but what I knew was that guys are pushing hard, and fight
would be very hard.
I knew that I will not win if we have to fight only on low-bands.

I started my strategy planning well before contest weekend. After studying
logs and previous efforts, it was quite clear that
in SSB-mode low bands would be bands where I will give too much compensation
for southern stations. My plan was pretty simple:

1) During low-band operation, focus on mults with very efficient second
radio usage and move every single multiplier to another band.
I knew that it is quite easy to get trough multiplier pileups on lowbands,
but to get own run going is little bit harder, you have
to be exactly right time in right place.

2) During prime-time just run, move every single multiplier and do best with
2nd radio. Especially try to get good multiplier boost from low-band
grayline
openings. It was pretty clear that during daytime 20m and if propagation
also 15m is so full that finding good mults is not easy task at all.

3) Make enough work with 10m, because 10m openings @ OH8X is pretty hard
predictable and usually very marginal at this time of solar cycle.

My bad that 20m night-time propagation wasn't as good as I hoped -> had to
fight pretty hard during night times. If you compare my low band e.g. what
Pasi
made from OH2BH with 100w you might understand. It is just something that
you have to manage in your strategy and hope and do best...

OH8X
160   142  11  49
80   468  22  83
40   825  34 102

OH2BH LP
160:  138     7       36
80:  450    13       66
40:  488    23       88

OH0B
160:  481    16       66
80:  714    24       89
40: 1047    29      101

During previous contests my problem has been too low multiplier. I decided
to make my timetable with new point of view. I optimized my schedule now
mainly in multiplier aspect. It was good way to get more multiplier intesive
operation. I used sometimes a littlebit to much time
when picking up multipliers. You can easily find out that in this case 1
mult was abt. 10 qsos -> if loosing too much time new mult
won't pay the missed time back.

It was nice to see that 15m was full of activity. Still got feeling that way
too few JA (under 200q) / W  stations on the band.
Never managed to get anything going on 10m. Very short openings, nothing
compared to good own run, just s&p qsos with 2nd radio after lot of
monitoring.

Thanks for whole Radio Arcala team, specially OH8NC, OH6KN and OH2UA. Huge
support from whole team and massive "pre-operative" work required to
get things going so smoothly what it was.

Mentally most important thing happened during sunday morning, when Toni
@OH0B appeared in my "pileup", despite of
very hard competition, he told to go-go and motivated me to keep going and
to push more harder.
We are good friends and team-mates but we were competing badly against each
other. What happened assured me that that are still fare play and hamspirit
left, thanks Toni :)

Congrats to Jeff, outstanding effort and score!

Thank you all for qsos and very special thanks to all of you who kindly
followed me to other bands aswell.

73, Marko OH4JFN