#cqwpx "Blood, Sweat & Tears"

Event: CQWW WPX SSB 2016 section QRP (max. 5W)
Logger: N1MM+ most updated version
Station: Yaesu FT-817ND (5W)
Antenna: HB9CV (for 10m) at 6m AGL, 84m horizontal loop at 7m AGL.

Congratulations if you made a QSO with me, that means you really have a excellent radiostation. Sorry if you didn't made the QSO, and there were many that didn't just because they couldn't hear me. It was hard work this contest and it was a experience I wouldn't want to miss.

The target was to work as many DXCC as possible especially the ones I didn't have already in my challenge list. This was the ultimate chance to get to those 100 DXCC with QRP wanted. Unfortenately the sun didn't turn around fast enough and although I expected about 40-50 sunspots it was down to about 30. Very low and not good for my target you would think. But think again, there are always chances and you just have to show perseverance to get those DXCC into the log. It was "blood, sweat & tears" all the way around. I stayed as long as possible on the higher bands to work the DX. The 10m band opened just once for a few minutes and I managed to work 2 QSO's there. Most of the DX was made on 15m.

15m was good at Saturday but less good on Sunday, though just when I thought the band would close it opened again and I could work some "new" ones. Most difficult was Puerto Rico, chased several stations for more then a hour but couldn't get through till late Sunday evening on 15m. Then Alaska on 20m, I spend at least half an hour calling but was rewarded in the end. NL7V was lucky enough to receive my tiny signal over the northpole with flutter modulation, although KL7RA was much stronger most of the day (59+) but didn't receive me at all (despite calling many times). I worked 75 DXCC in the end, could have been more if everyone would have excellent ears, besides that I let some DXCC go because I already had them in my challenge list. I'm very satisfied with the results and sometimes I was really surprised with QSOs that I never think would be possible. For instance a QSO with Canada (VC2A) on 80m SSB with 5W! Alaska, Australia and Japan, not the easiest distances with QRP but it happened and many more. A lot of success, but there was struggle and frustration as well. So many Chinese stations were heard but it seems they all have a large amount of QRM/QRN as I didn't get through at all. QRP costs a lot of time and chasing DX QRP even more. When you call for more then a hour and have only 4 QSO in the log it is hard to go on, it happened to me twice but patience and perseverance do the magic. Now at the end of this contest I realize QRP is not for everyone, you really need to have special skills I think. Or at least I want to believe that...what do you think?


PE4BAS LOG Statistics CQWW WPX SSB QRP 2016