[CQ-Contest] CQ WW DX Contests

[marko.n5zo at gmail.com]

Hello Alan,
There is no zone 6 in California, but there is small sliver of ocean which
is US territorial waters in zone 6.  Reason is that zone boundary at sea is
straight East-West line from last land border point between US and Mexico
but territorial waters is not following that straight line.  I inquired
about this zone boundary from CQ Contest Committee (K1AR) in summer 2020 and
KR2Q did research on the topic.
This triangle shaped sliver of sea extends about 6 nautical miles West from
land border point between Mexico and US on the beach and is about 2500 ft
wide at its widest point near West end of it.
In CQ WW SSB 2020 I did test operation from this sliver of ocean using
N5ZO/MM sending zone 6 (500 some Qs in few hours).  On the way there while
still on zone 3 I used call N6NC/MM to avoid confusion.  This trip was
daytime Saturday sailing from San Diego with N6HOY (experienced captain) and
N6NC (navigator).  Boat GPS was used to track the position as we were
zig-zagging this sliver of ocean and couple times I had to go QRT for while
when we slipped out of it during turn.

There is of course lots of international waters in zone 6 and our original
plan was to sail further there to operate from zone 6 in international
waters.  But as CQ CC came back to me with answer on this zone boundary at
sea it opened possibility to operate maritime mobile from zone 6 much closer
to land (safer, less travel time) from US territory with FCC being licensing
authority in this small region of zone 6.  I may return there for some
future CQ WW and make more extensive operation.  
73 de Marko N5ZO

------------------------------

Message: 17
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2023 20:37:02 -0600
From: Alan Higbie <alan.higbie at gmail.com>
To: CQ Contest <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] CQ WW DX Contests
Message-ID:
	<CAOftebMU8NEoLqw4FKzen1o15+ajt4cT2h_dKm6ctCRbtzm74g at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

I recall hearing about N5ZO operating from a sliver of California that was
in Zone 6 out in the ocean. I understood that there is some anomaly out
there?.and that he was /mm.  I might not have this exactly correct. But,
you never know.
~ Alan K0AV