#CQWW WPX SSB 2021 review

Event: CQWW WPX SSB contest 2021

Section: Low SOAB
Logger: N1MM+ 

Station: Icom IC-7300

Antenna 1: 160m sloper

Antenna 2: 10m LFA @14m

Antenna 3: Multiband vertical @16m

Antenna 4: 2x20m inverted-V doublet

The yearly WPX SSB contest is over again. One of the highlights of the year for me. If you look for rare DX you can find it in this contest. And I took the opportunity to hunt DX instead of concentrating on the amount of QSOs. No new DXCC were worked but I guess I managed to work a few new band ones. 

Click on the map to enlarge.

Although propagation was not the best very nice DX was worked. One of the highlights certainly was working ZM4T on both 40m and 20m. Unfortunately 10m didn't open, the only QSO I had on that band was with PA6AA who was kind of a local station managed by Bernard PB7Z.

Most interesting DX per band this year:

80m: NV9L, WW1X (USA)

40m: ZM4T (New Zealand), WP4X (Puerto Rico), TI7W (Costa Rica), FM5BH (Martinique), WW1X (USA), VE9CB (Canada), PJ2T (Curacao)

20m: UP7L (Kazakhstan), 9K9A (Kuwait), HZ1TL (Saudi Arabia), KL7RA (Alaska), ZM4T (New Zealand), T6A (Afghanistan), VE9CB (Canada), WW1X (USA), 9M2TDX (West Malaysia), EX0M (Kyrgyzstan), JH4UYB (Japan), PJ4DX (Bonaire), 5Z4VJ (Kenya), PY4JW (Brazil), FM8QR (Martinique), P40A (Aruba), TI7W (Costa Rica), FG4ST (Guadeloupe).

15m: UP2L (Kazakhstan), FR4NT (Reunion Isl.), ZS6TVB (RSA), ZD7BG (St.Helena), A71AM (Qatar), A60A (UAE), LO5D (Argentina), E2A (Thailand), YC2CPQ (Indonesia), P45A (Aruba)

I mention that KL7RA was real 59 over here, just incredible! I've heard many other DX but couldn't reach everything. I remember calling for a long time on 40m to JH4UYB, he had a excellent signal but he didn't hear me. Also 3E3E from Panama was 59 on 20m but I was unable to have a QSO with him. You can't have it all of course...

I didn't hear anything from VK (Australia). Strange, because I'm shure there were contesters on from down under. But propagation was not there. Hopefully they will appear on 10m in a few years...

Like always, I had fun. Although I spend far too much time on my hobby last weekend. Not to the amusement of the family....it is always difficult to find a balance. This will always be a challenge....

Total time spend in the contest was 27 hours...