#cqww SSB 2018 PA6AA contest review

Event: CQWW SSB 2018
Section:  Multi Operator Two Radio High Power
Logger: N1MM+ newest version
Station 1: Elecraft K3s 400W
Station 2: Icom IC-7300 400W
Antenna 160m: Inverted-L
Antenna 80m: Inverted-L + dipole
Antenna 40m: 4 square + dipole
Antenna 20m: VDA + FB23
Antenna 15m: VDA + 4 element yagi
Antenna 10m: VDA + Moxon

It has been a great weekend from a great location. Not only doing the contest but also being part of a great team with all members making the best from what we got. Enjoying the almost endless space for antennas and the great outdoors next to the small house. Unfortunately PA4O was not feeling too well and did not take part in the contest with our team but at least he was able to give some support being there helping with the antennas and equipment as far as he could. We were also supported by PA0VAJ Jan who constructed the 40m 4 square antenna array for us. So the contest team consisted of PB7Z, PD1RP, PD3OES and me PE4BAS. I didn't stay for the night so most of my operating was at daytime.

Initially we would use two Elecraft K3 transceivers but due to problems connecting with the computer and playing WAV files for the voicekeyer we swapped one K3 for a Icom IC-7300. So it was my first experience with this radio and it worked very well, it was a real pleasure to listen to. Being a Icom fan of course I am a bit prejudiced ;-) Both stations made use of a 400W amplifier. The start of the contest was a bit rough, we had some technical problems especially with the network between the computers and the voice keyers. And a unexpected storm (7 bft) fridaynight.

We had a lot of antennas this year. It was also a test what would work for us and what not. Starting with a excellent working 40m 4 square doing a real good job on DX. At least I worked YJ0CA from Vanuatu without any problems saturday morning. KL7RA from Alaska was also worked on this antenna array. We build a 40m dipole on Sunday but didn't use it much actually.



On low band 160m we had a inverted-L 18m high which blew over fridaynight already at the start of the contest due to high winds but was not damaged and re-placed saturday. On 80m a inverted-L and a dipole. On 15m a VDA and a 4 element yagi at about 10m high a real DX canon, to name one of the DX stations we worked VK9XG from Christmas Isl. On 10m a moxon on about 7m high and at first a 10m VDA which wasn't used much. 20m was a bit problematic, we used a FB23 (dipole-director configuration) on about 6m high and a VDA. Personally my experience was that the VDA was better on both RX as TX and I was even spotted by KL7RA from Alaska (one of my highlights hi) with this antenna. However we lost too much points on 20m compared to the competing stations and we really should look at another (better) antenna for that band. The FB23 was placed on the 10m moxon mast sunday afternoon to see if that would improve things. It did improve a small bit but still the VDA won overall with about 0,5-1 s-unit difference.

We didn't build all the antennas on one day of course. PB7Z did rent the house for the week and started to setup the 4 square together with PA0VAJ already at the start of the week. Because none of us ever worked with a antenna array like that Bernard had the honour to test it out. Of course some good DX was worked mostly on FT8 and CW proving the antenna was a excellent performer.

Locator was not JO32IU but JO33DJ

The results...
We were satisfied but made less QSOs compared to last year. The amount of multipliers was higher though and so was our score. The only band we were not satisfied with was 20m. We are already busy making plans to get better next year although since we are kind of portable we are a little limited in making big plans since antennas should be light and strong and not too big. We are right at the northern coast and winds can get very high here.

CQ contest from PA6AA

Grey marker shows exact QTH

#cqww ssb 2018 again with PA6AA

Last year we did the contest with a nice group of amateurradio friends. It was fun and we obtained 3rd place in the Netherlands with almost 3000 valid QSOs. Of course we did it for fun but experienced a little competition with other stations as well. We decided to do it again and of course we will try to do better as last year. Autumn of course is well known of large wind and storm and we experienced the strength of nature last year. This time the forecast is a lot better and we don't expect any difficulties with bad weather.


We discussed antennas and setup already just after the contest and made plans the whole year
through. We did improve our antennas and hope everything is working like expected. Only time will tell. At least the scaffold will be up again supporting a 15m beam and my old mast will be supporting a 10m beam. I can't tell much about the rest of the setup as that will be a surprise for the competing stations in the MOTT section.

Well, I hope to work some of you readers. At least if you are participating or not try to work PA6AA in the contest.

JS8Call QSO party review

Yes, I did participate. However like always, time was a issue. I tried to keep my computer and radio on the whole weekend to accommodate a relay for those that need it. Unfortenately my computer is about 10 years old and although I upgaded it to W10 I have issues using WSJT-X, JTDX and JS8Call together with HRD and other software. It seems it is too much for my computer and I get more and more lock ups of my CPU. This means I was not on the whole weekend... Anyway, back to the party....

Over the weekend I made numerous calls but got less anwers. I've been trying 80, 40, 20 and 17m. 20m was difficult because of a RTTY contest, 17m and 80m no replies. 40m was the band to be on this weekend. I logged only 5 stations over the weekend, they actually replied and had a short chat with exchanging names and QTH. Here is my log:

Sorry countries missing 

Especially 40m was open to north America. Though I received a lot of beacons, chats and CQs it was hard to get my signal to the other side. One of the problems was doubling of signals. It is like many haven't got a really good receive and actually if you're in a city with lots of interference I don't blame those stations. But it means in a few cases I couldn't decode. Another problem were undirected calls, was the station talking to me? You need to direct you transmission....but if you're used to just pushing buttons like in PSK or WSJT-X or any other software you just hit the macro buttons and they send it....well to no one. In one case I received the message and it was directed but didn't show in the center screen, I think it is a known bug. A thing I have to get used at is that you have to be patient. Sometimes a message will take 1,5 minute to get through and if you press the transmit button too fast you miss half of it (doubling again), I have to admit it happened to me a few times.

Message sunday morning as received at OH8STN
(Photo credit OH8STN)

The pop up message screen worked fine. I accomplished to send 2 messages to OH8STN wishing Julian a good day and a good morning. Actually I like to send messages that way it is much more obvious the message is for you and no one else and it gets the attention.

Over the weekend I made some screenshots from PSK reporter maps showing what I received and were I was received. PSKreporter has limits so you have to look once and a while to get a real good impression.

QSO with K1CF Wayne

Map from sunday morning. Till now not many JA stations seen...

Enough activity from the USA/Canada but not many that heard me.

Click images to enlarge