Section: Single Operator All band SSB low assisted
Logger: N1MM+ newest version
TRX: Icom IC-7300 100W
Antenna 1: Inverted-V 2x20m @12m apex
Antenna 2: Multiband vertical @16m
Antenna 3: 4 elem. 10m LFA beam @14m
Tradionally the last big contest of the season for me. I hate to complain but it was really a struggle to me in the end. Normally you have a good chance to work the rare DX at the end of the contest but not this time and so I called endless times to DX I really wanted to work without being heard although some of the DX was really 59 here. Not that I didn't have my luck, I did make it to 5Z4/G3AB from Kenya and 5T5PA from Mauritania. And a whole lot of USA and Canada. Once again VY2ZM came back on my CQ on 160m, not the first time, if you sneeze on 160m Jeff will hear it for shure! I was glad the 10m band opened on both Saturday and Sunday and spend a lot of time there, although Saturday was way better. Made 53 QSOs on 10 including a lot of South America. I had some runs on 80m like always but it didn't hold on unfortunately although my signal was really strong obviously, ask fellow blogger OQ5M Franki ;-) I worked him on 160m and 80m. Especially the last hours Sunday evening didn't went successful, it was like my signal vaporized although nothing was wrong....stations were all S9 but it was just too busy on the bands, too much splatter, too many calling. Is it a psychological game? If you think your signal isn't heard it will happen...well that's SSB contesting.....it's difficult.
at about 11000km. Also worked Japan which is 9000km from here.Heard ZM1A on both 40m and 20m, but unfortunately no luck this time. Not blaming him as he was in a constant pile up. Same counts for KL7RA who was really strong on both 40m and 20m but too many calling. However I heard a lot of stations from China who were only calling but despite their strong signal couldn't hear many. So that brings my question to the use of a big amplifiers...I heard many stations with big signals but rarely hear them replying to any stations. What is it worth to use a lot of power if you don't receive most of the stations?? It is only causing QRM making it only hard for others. It would be really much more fun if everyone was using moderate power like 100-400W. If you can't hear it you never work it, even not with 2KW.
But who am I to write about that. I have reasonable receive, a lot less noise compared to a city station. But never used more as 100W power. I think the antenna is much more important...if it radiating well and propagation is good 100W or less is more enough to work all over the world.
Enough complains. the CQWW WPX SSB is always a fun contest with lots of DX that can be worked, even with a modest station.
It is really great to hear so many voices on the band in this age of FT8 digimode. It is proof that SSB isn't dead yet!
6 comments:
Hello Bas - it looks like your RF touched all parts of the world and I'm sure the 10m opening to SA was fun. Did you get the impression that more stations were participating this year?
73 - John
Good evening Bas, very impressive with 20 hours total in the chair and that's more impressive when you said that things were hard going as well.
Great run down on how the contest went.
73,
Mike
VE9KK
Hello John, can't tell if there were more participating. Though I missed some big contest stations probabely to the COVID-19 virus. At the end of the contest there is normally room for less powered stations to talk to the DX but this time it was still very crowded on the bands. There was ertainly a change....73, Bas
Hello Mike, it was not 20 hours at one run like I do in the PACC. It was 20 hours over the whole 48 hour contest. So, I got my sleep and had my diner and family time. I had great fun on 10m but struggled on 20m. If you hear DX coming in with 59 and you still can't reach it, it is very frustrating. But that's SSB DX.....73, Bas
Morning Bas. Enjoyed reading that - looks like you had great success. I think your complaint is perfectly valid about high-power operators. If everyone stayed within a certain power limit for these competitions, there's be a lot more contacts and a lot less QRM?
Hope you're keeping safe.
73, Tom, M7MCQ.
Hallo Bas, mooie resultaten heb je bereikt. Gefeliciteerd. Nu ik geen lid meer ben van de VERON zie ik geen uitslagen meer van contesten. Maar goed, indrukwekkende lijst bij deze condities. 73 Paul
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