From: secc-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:secc-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Christopher KJ4HYG
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 9:03 PM
To: secc@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [SECC] US qso's

My experience during the contest was that the contest ended up being mostly geared toward the DX stations and the HP stations. Not a whole lot of DX stations were calling CQ, they were just working the US CQ's. Even if there were any incredibly weak DX signals it didn't take long before a US HP station appeared withing 40 kHz and totally messed up any chances of pulling the weak signal out of the noise and signals. Then basically the only option was to call CQ in the hopes that THEY would hear you. However, it's nearly impossible for a station like me (running 50 watts) to hold their ground calling CQ. Plus it's hard to even find an open space to even call CQ. I don't know if this is even relevant to the question, but that was my experience, and it ended up being very frustrating. 

chris / kj4hyg

Hi Chris,

Congrats for giving the contest a try! But I hope you are not too discouraged or disgusted at what you learned. The CQWW CW contest is probably the premiere of the contest available. And of course the emphasis in this contest is to both work as many stations as you can and work as many zones as you can, on all bands. So yes, your observation is correct that in this contest, contacts are geared toward working DX stations in as many different zones as possible. Observing some of the scores posted on this reflector, you will see the ‘big guns’ made well over 500 QSO’s during the 48 hours of the contest and obviously they are going to try and work the loudest signals first; but toward the end of the contest, they will be searching for ANY signal they can copy.

I assume you meant “4 kHz” rather than “40 kHz” in your comments? If the narrowest bandwidth on your receiver is in fact 40 kHz, then that may be one of the first upgrades you should make to your station, getting down to a receiver bandwidth of 1 kHz or less. The next improvement you might consider is to double your own signal by going from 50 w to 100 watts. What it takes to be somewhat competitive is to continue to improve your own station.

BUT not all contest are like the CQWW CW contest. I hope you will think about entering the Georgia QSO Party which is held in April of each year. The GQP kinda turns the tables on the CQWW CW contest in that YOU become the ‘hunted station’. And in that case, your 50w will work quite well. In the GQP, every other station outside of the state of Georgia, will be looking for YOU and the contest should be that much more fun.

Just don’t lose sight of the fact that ham radio is a hobby and that contesting is just another part of that hobby AND the real reason you have a hobby is to have fun and enjoy it! I very seldom, any more, get even close to being one of the ‘top ten’ score submissions, but contesting is done just because it tickles the competitive spirit to some degree AND (to me) it is fun. If you can manage it, just relax and enjoy the chase, set some goals such as making more QSO’s in the next one, or increasing your score by 1000 points in the next one, something to make it more fun and enjoyable for you.

Good luck Chris and by all means, don’t let the CQWW discourage you from contesting !

73,

Tom – W4BQF