CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW
Call: VE2IM
Operator(s): VE3DZ
Station: VE2CSI
Class: SOAB HP
QTH: Sept-Iles
Operating Time (hrs): 43
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 407 15 57
80: 1191 22 84
40: 1402 26 102
20: 1452 32 103
15: 1341 30 103
10: 530 20 64
------------------------------
Total: 6323 145 513 Total Score = 10,467,464
Club: Contest Club Ontario
Comments:
People tend to believe in miracles. Me included.
When I arrived on the spot after driving 1630 km one way in 1.5 days a bit over
than 24 hours before the start of the Contest, I was hoping that miracle would
happen and I would be able to set up my semi-field day style station, solve all
technical problems and have enough time to get some rest in order to operate
full 48 hours.
Well, miracle didn't happen.
By the time I managed to get almost everything going (including recording)
there was only a bit more than 1 hour left before the start. The biggest
disappointment was my limited SO2R - no matter what I tried, I still had
cross-band interference. 2 sets of filters reduced interference a lot but did
not completely eliminate it. There are no 2nd radio antenna for 20-15-10 so I
was using 2nd radio only on 40 m (with 40 m beam) and on 15 m, where I used...
same 40m beam, just with the tuner. :-)
The 160 m Inverted L also disappeared in one year.
Anyway, there was nothing I could do to cure that.
Another problem was lack of rest which resulted in fatigue winning our usual
battle on the 2nd night. I decided to take a 3 hour break, but instead
overslept (second year in a row) and lost 5 hours of the Contest in total.
Diagnosis: getting old.
Low bands were pretty good, and I believe my 160 m score is the best in all 16
years of my Zone 2 trtavels, despite having pretty simple antennas - low
dipoles for 160 and 80. I think I could do much better on 40, but had to limit
myself because 40 m radio was constantly interfering on 20 and even on 15...
20 and 15 were good as always, just 15 m was "shorter" than usual
this time. There were no JA's on the first evening, but I managed to work few
on the 2nd night. NO JA's on 10.
The biggest disappointment was 10. I finally managed 500 Q's, most of - with
our friends south of the border. Very few Europeans and overall 10 m multiplier
is way down from last year.
Aurora didn't help either.
So, the score is about 800 Q's down from the last year.
Another observation - the pile-up behavior continues to be on decline... People
never stop calling even if you already replied to someone else... I had to send
exchange twice many many times...
Kudos to WRTC champion N6MJ who put TO7A/UT5UGR's dual-CQ'ing technique to a
good use at ZF2MJ and showed everyone what can be done if you combine perfect
skills with young age. :-)
So now we old folks need to get a lot of training or... retire! :-)
Good showing from Jose and Andy as usual. Congrats, guys! Way to go...
And me... As usual, I am just happy to give this rare Zone to as many people as
possible...
It was pretty difficult year for me...
Equipment used: FT1000MP, K3, ACOM 2000 and SB220.
Antennas: Mosley CL37, KLM 2 el. 40 m beam and dipoles for 80 and 160.
N1MM classic logging software.
RigExpert USB Interfaces. :-)
Mazda 6 2013 - 3269 total kilometers driven in 3 days.
Thanks to Victor, VA2WA and his wife Elena for hosting me in Montreal.
Thank you all for great fun and see you next year!
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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