Monday, March 28, 2016

#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




16 comments:

Peter pa4o said...

Een hele goede prestatie Bas, geweldig gedaan.
Heb er zelf toch maar vanaf gezien om mee te doen in qrp.

Heb ook niet veel gedaan dit keer.

Peter pa4o

Angel M0HDF said...

Hi Bas,

Huge effort on SSB QRP with the 817. Congrats on the 300+ QSOs.

73 Angel M0HDF

Ariel Jacala said...

Hi Bas,

You already have the most special of all skills - it is called perseverance. It is not for everyone - but is is a brotherhood for those who choose it.

Ariel NY4G

Ariel Jacala said...

FP/KV1J is still active in Saint Pierre and Miquelon and he is missing from your list.

VE9KK said...

Great work Bas, I have had similar contest outings and get fed up and move on to some other activity. Good for you to stick with it.
73,
Mike

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hallo Peter, wat is niet veel. Toch heel redelijk gedaan. Maar met 100W en een 3 elements op 20+ meter hoogte is toch ook heel anders dan QRP met een stukje draad! Volgens mij heb jij het momenteel drukker met de hond hi. 73, Bas

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Thanks Angel, it was totally different from what I ever did wih the WPX before. At the end I'm very satisfied. 73, Bas

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hello Ariel, thanks for the reply. Nice you think the same way. 73, Bas

PE4BAS, Bas said...

I've seen him spotted in the contest on 15m several times but was unable to hear him. FP/KV1J would be the ultimate contact for nr. 100 as this would be a ATNO as well. I might try it this evening. 73, Bas

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hello Mike, I was much more active with contests in the past but have been fed up with it too at some point. However it is a ultimate chance to work DX. 73, Bas

Peter pa4o said...

Zat qro hier Bas, met zo'n 350 a 400W. Wou wel dat de antenne op 20m hoogte stond. Stond slechts op een 16m. Maar jij hebt een top prestatie geleverd voor het aantal uren wat je hebt meegedaan.
Ja ben ontzettend veel met hondje bezig, ze moet van alles leren en afleren. Dat laatste gaat moeilijk. Maar heb er veel plezier aan.

Maarten van R said...

Mooie score Bas. QRP is niet alleen een uitdaging voor het QRP station zelf, maar net zo goed voor het tegenstation.
Neem niet weg dat ik het een bijzondere prestatie vind. Ik twijfel sterk of ik net zo veel geduld op kan brengen.

Maarten van R said...

73, PD2R

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hallo Maarten, zeker een uitdaging voor het tegenstation. Die moet ook geduld kunnen opbrengen. Ik heb diverse keren gehad dat ik mijn uitwisselings nr. wel 10x moest herhalen. Ik ben ook stations tegengekomen die daar niet op wilden wachten...
73, Bas

Hans said...

Hallo Bas, Ik had al gereageerd maar zie dat het niet bij je was aangekomen, maar je hebt een ongelofelijke prestatie geleverd dus vond ik toch dat ik opnieuw moest reageren. Ik sta echt versteld wat jij met QRP allemaal doet. Zondermeer een compliment waard. Goed weekend, 73 Hans, PE1BVQ

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Hallo Hans, iedereen kan dit denk ik. Het is gewoon een kwestie van doorzettingsvermogen. Maar ben er nu wel een beetje klaar mee hoor. Vind het zelf achteraf ook een hele prestatie. DXCC met 5 watt in 79 dagen. 73, Bas