[UK-CONTEST] G0CKV SOSB/40 LP

[Olof Lundberg]

With professional and family commitments leaving little time
for play last weekend I was about to forget CQWW entirely.

But coming back from a trip abroad last Thursday I put my K3
to work with a MKII box and WinTest in the evening and on
Friday afternoon I installed a 30ft vertical in the rear
garden. That location is well screened from desirable
radiation by a protective wall of neigbouring houses and
dense very wet vegetation.

I managed to put in 20 hours on 40m with the K3 and had real
fun. I did better last year with a loop and two 756s but I
also put in 8 hours more then.

I ended up with 750 qsos, 30 zones and 105 dxcc before CQ
penalize me for all those 599 exchanges I messed up. I heard
much more but couldn't get through or didn't have the time
to work them.

Generally I find operator standards and signal quality quite
good. With low power and a well screened radiator I do
almost all S&P, running doesn't work except possibly midday
for Europeans. In moving up and down the band S&P-ing I have
come to hate the cluster. My opportunity is to find and work
the DX before the cluster mob hits. With low power and poor
antenna situation I can't penetrate the cluster wall. And no
one can hear the DX anyhow because everyone just send their
signal over and over and over again. The operating style of
the cluster mob is not beneficial for my general mood.

There is no way back however. The cluster (and other
technology) is here to stay and it is clear that many are
having fun thanks to the cluster and that the cluster
enables many newcomers to the hobby to work DX they
otherwise wouldn't be able to find.

I am now hoping that I will be more successful in blocking
the CQWW weekend from social interference next year.

Olof G0CKV