[SCCC] CQWW CW 5R8ZO(N5ZO) SOAB HP

[marko.L.myllymaki at nokia.com]

                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: 5R8ZO
Operator(s): N5ZO
Station: 5R8FU

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Madagascar
Operating Time (hrs): 47

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:    1     1        1
   80:   57    14       34
   40:  392    29       77
   20: 1226    33      106
   15: 1326    33      102
   10:  136    10       34
------------------------------
Total: 3138   120      354  Total Score = 4,405,356

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Comments:

Equipment K-3 + Centurion amp, antennas TH-11DX + HF2V.

This was truly interesting location to operate the contest.  I think with more sunspots and better operator (my CW operating skills seem to be all time low) one could do quite well from 5R.  For given QSO amount multipliers seemed to roll in without much effort.  I guess that has to do with geography: South of Europe, rather near Africa/Asia and good propagation to Caribean.  US propagation was somewhat dissapointing, with about 900 W/VE QSOs.  I had high hopes for 15 m, but good US propagation only lasted 1 hour per day or so.  10 m never really opened on either day and I was keeping close eye on it all time, so I don't think I missed any openings there.  Low bands were struggle from small city lot where couple vertical radials per band zigzagged within the property boundaries.  I had small but annoying issue with amplifier relay, which I tried to live with until middle of the contest when I finally decided to either fix it if I could or operate rest of the contest barefoot.  It turned out to be easy and quick fix, and I should have done that right in the beginning when it started fail.  I was really struggling to stay on the chair especially on second day.  I don't think I have ever been so fatigued.  But it was all still great fun, there is really no other event like CQ WW DX Contest !

This was my 15th zone to do CQ WW DX Contest and one of the more interesting ones.  Problem is that now I feel distracted from continuing to new zones and I feel like I want to go back to 5R again, but let's see next year...

Big thanks to Ake 5R8FU and his wife Jacqueline for being great hosts and great food I was served.  They operate small quest house and station is available for renting for rather modest fee.  Highly recommended !

5R8ZO log has been uploaded to LotW and we will also QSL 100 % via buro. 
Direct QSLs can be sent to Olli OH0XX, and he should be able to reply in few weeks when cards are ready.
73 de Marko N5ZO