Well, what shall I say? Never thought it would be possible to do more than 2.000 QSOs single band on 15 m from our station (station record so far was 1.800 QSOs). Not even dreamt of > 2.400 (including dupes)! Conditions were excellent, especially on Sunday afternoon. QRM was really heavy at times. No idea how that shall work in the next few years when all the people who now populated almost a full MHz of bandwidth on 10 m will have to squeeze into the lower bands as well!
Thought I would have the run of my live when I had already worked 110 QSOs in 28 minutes Saturday afternoon but then IK6LBV popped up (see below). 🙁 So it would only be 174 QSOs as the best 60 minutes rate.
Sorrily I missed the VK9X double mult. Whenever I checked their frequency they were burried in heavy QRM. 🙁 Think I missed 2 or 3 additional mults, too. But was great to be called by KH8, FK, VE8 (z1), HP, etc. just to name a few of the juicier mults. 🙂 Also great to be called by KL7RA Sunday morning (09z) when beaming JA … 😉 Speaking of JA I had the impression that the JA opening on Sunday was worse than Saturday (weaker sigs and only 85 QSOs compared to 205 on Saturday) while with the US opening it was the opposite, i.e. better on Sunday than on Saturday (much stronger sigs). Just my perception or did others experience the same?
Something to think about: Popping up on one’s QRG and trying to steal it *IS* unsportsmanlike behaviour! 🙁 I will start calling names now as as I’m really pissed off by those guys, sorry. IK6LBV popped up just 350 Hz away from me. He was 59+ and didn’t react at all after I told him. If he didn’t hear me he must have been running at least 100 kW and that’s already assuming a bit of QRM for his benefit. IK7CMY was 600 Hz away. After I told him the frequency is in use he was silent for a minute or two then started all over again. That repeated for about half an hour. S52OP was just 400 Hz away and 59 on backscatter, too, but stopped after 15 minutes (he certainly realized that I won’t move). WK1Q 700 Hz away ignored me completely. But maybe I just have too bad an RX (Elecraft K3 with 1.8 kHz roofer) … what are others using then?
Don’t get me wrong guys. I know this can happen in the heat of the battle. It happened to myself, too. But I immediately moved after the other guy told me! Yes, that meant I was without a run QRG for almost 2.5 hours Sunday afternoon (couldn’t hold the one used before, QRM got too heavy over time) and certainly lost 100-150 QSOs but that’s life and part of the game. I really do not have a problem if that happens when the other guy is just s2 and really cannot hear me. If he has better propagation I loose. Part of the game. But don’t tell me you don’t hear me if you are s9 and stronger! 400 or 800 Hz simply won’t cut it. Please leave 1.2 to 1.5 kHz space. Even then you will still leave lots of your signal in my passband but usually that’s handable somehow.
Excessive bandwidth: IO5O, UW8SM, E77A. These are only those guys that affected me directly during running as they splattered from 4-10 kHz away. I’m sure there were some others, too.
Overall it was still LOTS of fun and a very enjoyable event. For sure something to remember during the next few years while heading down into sunspot minimum and being happy if you manage to work at least a handful of W1’s and 2’s on 15 m during a contest. 😉
Now here’s my result:
CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB Call: DH8BQA Class: SOSB(A)/15 HP QTH: JO73ce Operating Time (hrs): 32.5 Summary: Band QSOs Zones Countries ------------------------------ 15: 2364 37 135 ------------------------------ Total: 2364 37 135 Total Score = 946,172 Club: Bavarian Contest Club
SH5 analysis is available here. BTW: Uwe, DL3BQA, even did 20 QSOs more as DMØY on 10 m from the 2nd shack at our station. He had quite some fun, too. 😉
I’m eager to see how my good friend Oliver, DL2ARD, finished. He will certainly have well over 3.000 QSOs on 15 m (same category). He is “only” about 360 km away from me, that means about 300 km more southerly and 200 km more western. His station is located on a high mountain and he also has a bit more aluminium in the air than me. 😉 Of course Oliver is a superb operator, too! I listened to him Saturday evening after the band had died overhere and he was still running the U.S. for almost another hour! Amazing …
Now hoping that condx will hold until CQ WW CW and ARRL 10 m as well!