[UK-CONTEST] CQWW CW - 5B/G4IRN.

[John Warburton G4IRN]

Contest         : CQ World Wide DX Contest
Callsign        : 5B/G4IRN
Category        : Single Operator (SO)
Band(s)         : Single band (SB) 20 m
Class           : High Power (HP)
QSOs: (total): 2245
Dupes: 113
QSOs: (net of dupes): 2132
CQ Zones worked: 39
DXCC: 145

*TOTAL SCORE : 1,114,440*
Average Pts/QSO: 2.83

K3 + Alpha 78 , switchable antennas: C31XR @ 60ft, TH11DX @ 80ft. 
Win-Test logging, K1EL WinKey, Sagebrush RecallPro recording.


For the third year running, I ventured to Cyprus again for CQWW CW last 
weekend. This year, as in 2009, I entered the 20m Single Op, High Power, 
Assisted category with a determination to beat my score from that 
previous entry. Conditions on the higher bands looked good before the 
contest so I thought that beating my previous score would be a 
challenge, particularly since many stations would have migrated to the 
higher bands.

Having arrived in Paphos on Thursday in good time to get the station 
tweaked to my liking, Friday evening before the contest was spent in the 
usual fashion down at a local Cypriot taverna with local 5B hams 
and traditional Cypriot fare. I knew from experience that although 20m 
is open overnight, it's not possible to keep a decent run speed or be 
heard by other run stations, so I elected to get a few hours sleep and 
awoke at 03:15GMT.

Same as last time, I did an initial S&P up the band to pick up a bunch 
of mults, after that I had long periods of running at a reasonable rate. 
Busiest periods on both days were around the grey lines and then peaks 
at 14z - 15z.  Being an assisted entry, I would save up a list of 
spotted mults and then go get 'em in a single sweep when things got 
quiet. Several mults were also picked up before they were spotted as I 
swept the band on S&P missions when the running went quiet. On both 
days, it was near on impossible to work anything after 21h GMT, so a 
reasonable sleep was taken on Saturday night in preparation for the 
early Sunday start.

*Highlights:* The station and antennas all worked to plan. Both days 
provided excellent conditions: I had some nice runs into the USA after 
sunset on both days, more mid/east on Saturday and then Sunday there was 
a great run on west coast with fluttery but big signals over the North 
Pole.  Passing the 1 million point mark was a cause for feeling chuffed 
with myself, my 2009 score having been already beaten by then.  Also 
pleased to break the 2k QSO threshold and astonished that I got so many 
DXCC multipliers - that was the DX'er in me coming out, I just hope most 
of them are still there after the log mangle and the unfortunate 
inability for many stations to read my callsign correctly. Plus it was 
nice to work pals in far off lands who are prepared to take a moment to 
say 'hi, John', like Chris ZK2V and Gary ZL2IFB operating one of the ZL 
contest stations.
*
Lowlights:* Pity I didn't get the final zone, number 10. In the good old 
days, HC8N was a banker for this zone but there is certainly a gap in 
the market there now. The biggest handicap was the interpretation of my 
callsign, 5B/G4IRN. When I was running, I assume most people got it OK 
from the cluster or by listening for a while (though there are a few 
spots for HB/G4IRN - an invalid prefix!). When I was S&P'ing, even by 
slowing right down, only about 10% of stations got the entire call first 
time but an astonishing 90% didn't. Most of those who didn't read it got 
part of the call, usually /G4? or RN?; some tried to inset a 4 or a 9 
instead of the "/"; many finally got HB/G4IRN then queried the zone when 
I sent 20; about half a dozen times I had to sent "QTH Cyprus" before 
the penny dropped; several simply sent a few "?" then disappeared from 
the frequency - the call was such a mental blocker that they gave up. It 
certainly slowed me down.

A number of multipliers were heard but not worked (couldn't bust the 
pileups), including: ZB2, 9G5, HC2 (z.10)
Several spotted multipliers couldn't be heard:  CO, OA (z.10), TT8, J8. 
Signals to south and central America in general seemed quite poor.
One mult tried working me, but gave up on reading my callsign - it was 
just too much for him: T88

Ironically, having missed zone 10 all weekend, the first QSO on my 
return home was an HC2 in Ecuador, Zone 10. Where was he when I needed him?

Thanks to my hosts for their super hospitality and keeping me fed and 
watered during the contest. It's much appreciated!



73 de John 5B/G4IRN.