[Mldxcc] CQ 2007 DX Marathon Score

[Jim Venneman]

Greetings,
   
  I decided to enter the CQ Magazine DX Marathon for 2007 in the Unlimited Class. My final Score for 2007 = 239 countries + 40 zones = 279 points. Not bad for the bottom of the solar cycle. I don't expect to even come close to competing for a top score in this event in this class, but it was great fun anyway. Along the way - I managed to pick up 14 all-time new countries, which has pushed my DXCC total to 316/329. 
   
  I have to say again that this was fun. It sure helped make the year go by in a much more interesting way. For one thing - in spite of the low sunspots, I worked DX entities during the year that I hadn't worked in years (for example - my QSO with 4K5D (Azerbaijan) was my first QSO with that country in almost 42 years!). For another thing - working "garden-variety" DX took on much more importance. My QSO with GI3DZE on 12/8 ended many months of  simply missing this easy-to-work country. 
   
  I should also point out that many QSOs during the year were made at ESP levels, with stations that were fading up and down around the noise level. Thanks, K9YC, for your tutorial on common-mode chokes. Once I installed common-mode chokes on all four of my feedlines last spring, my ambient noise level went down an 1-2 S-units! I don't believe that many of those ESP level QSOs would have been possible otherwise. Since my QTH is only a block away from Highway 49 in Auburn, with all of the various businesses located along the roadway, there are plenty of local noise sources for me.
   
  Already looking foward to what 2008 has in store. Oh - and by the way - Happy New Year to all!!
   
  Jim  -WX6V-