CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: CR3E
Operator(s): CT1BOH
Station: CR3A
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: MADEIRA ISLAND
Operating Time (hrs): 48
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 280 15 50
80: 695 18 67
40: 1553 29 90
20: 1119 36 102
15: 1257 34 103
10: 2198 35 107
------------------------------
Total: 7102 167 519 Total Score = 14,525,364
Club:
Comments:
All contests are the same in the way score must be maximized, but each one has
different nuances.
The main focus of the 2013 CQWW CW for me unfortunately was not about the
score, even though I sit tight and hanged in there, but was all about what can
be called managing a regret and a delusion of expectations.
For a long time I have been trying to convince myself to go assisted for a
first on CW. This year I even had the excuse to try “CT1BOH’s RBN spots
quality tags”, but the excellent SSB conditions and the very high solar flux
the weeks prior to the contest started to deviate me from my original intention
and before leaving to Madeira, I had already decide to go Non Assisted as
usual.
But unfortunately the 170 Solar Flux level the weekend before the contest did
not hold and we were faced with a downward trend until the 130 level mark
during the contest. Overall flux is one thing, another is daily propagation
conditions �" the acid test is always the moment. I started on 20 meters
but it was obvious MUF condition was not up there to have all night long
propagation �" a must for a great score from Madeira, and thus the
prospect was not even to have the same score as in 2012.
My first hour was very poor, just 153, very far from the 230/250 I would expect
and I was on 40 by 01z. It was hard to pick-up momentum until sunrise when
things started to roll. Saturday the high bands were in excellent shape with
long deep openings during the day, but by sunset, sustainable runs could not be
held. On Sunday things were worse. Nighttime runs were slower than last year and
once sunrise hit, even though I experienced overall good conditions, the
openings were shorter and not as deep and the high bands (10/15) closed right
after sunset. The last 4 hours of the contest were slow.
Even though the contest is 48 hours long, usually one hour was all it takes to
see if there is propagation potential for a huge score. This year more mid
southerly latitude seemed better.
So going back I started the contest with a regret that lasted 47 hours - Why
didn’t I go Assisted instead (I couldn’t change category because I had no
setup and Internet prepared) - and with a desire to end the contest as soon as
possible because of delusion of expectations. It was very painful and
stressful, motivation wise.
But because I have learned over the years to sit tight and operate, the contest
went on for the rest of the 47 hours non stop. In the end I had less 240 QSOs,
less 40 mults and less 1.5 million points than in 2012, but I guess one more
CQWW Contest in my list �" the 48th CQWW
Thanks to my lovely wife Lara, and CT3 Madeira Contest Team (particularly
CT3BD, CT3DL and CT3DZ).
73 and hopefully see you next year
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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