Topband: CQ 160 WW experience

[f8bpn]

Hi All,

This last CQ WW 160 CW was again a good experience. My feeling is that this
year there was even more stations than last year taking part in the contest.
Very, very hard to find a "free" frequency, or at least a correct frequency,
saying "free" was obviously utopian...
Very unusual condition on both mornings where I could work station from Noth
America 45 minutes after my sun rise with good signals. 53 stations US/VE
worked saturday morning during the last hour, unfortunately I couldn't find
the good place on sunday morning to get the same opportunity, conditions
were the same but that's it, my signal was probably covered by a stronger
station over there.
That's it, that's the game. I was not expecting to finish number one, but
just enjoyed this contest on Top Band where working countries which are so
banal on the others bands are tasting different there.
Just one thing was realy frustrating, number of time where stations who
couldn't ignore I was there, so strong they were, came just like this and
call CQ over me. No need to say the frequency was QRL, they just didn't
care.
What to do? nothing! you just move up or down.

16 hours and 38 minutes of contest (it was also the REF contest, so I shared
my time)

722 QSO
62 DXCC
33 States
Claimed score : 387220 Pts

F5IN did a much better job than I did, I don't know when he got some sleep!

I won't play the phone one, no way on that, there was no room enough in CW
so how it can be on Phone???
But I'll be in the ARRL DX CW, hopefully for one or two new States. Still
need SD, ND, ID, OR, CA!
KL7 and KH6 will be for another day!

See you!

73/88 de F8BPN, Mau
f8bpn at wanadoo.fr
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/ph-martin/f8bpn