Conditions leading up to the contest were fantastic. It’s amazing what happens when a few sunspots show up. Equally amazing is how often a solar disturbance arrives just before a major contest. This weekend seemed no exception. For the most part, propagation was up and down, depending on the band. But there were a few surprises. Very noticeable was the lack of expeditions this year, especially on the low bands where they are typically very active.
High Bands
10m was open to South America all weekend, featuring zones 11, 12 and 13. The highlight was Sunday with big signals from 28.330 up to 28.550. The band was crowded and I enjoyed running for a while, which also included zone 4 and 5 stations calling in, and even zone 9.
15m was hit and miss. This is where I started at the opening bell. The band was wide open to Asia, VK/ZL and KH6. However, that was as good as it got to Asia. The rest of the weekend was poor to nil. Europe was scarce too with only a few hard-earned QSOs. Of note were super loud zone 4 and 5 stations pounding-in all weekend.
20m to Europe was good the first day. Signals coming over the pole didn’t have any flutter and runs lasted for hours. The second day wasn’t as good, and some signals had the usual flutter. Asia was excellent both days. My log tells the story. At the end of day one I had almost 900 Qs. Of course, you can do the math on the rest.
Low Bands
40m was tough. Working EU was hard work. The first night was almost completely devoid of any EU signals. The second night was better, but they had a difficult time hearing me. Pulling teeth might have been easier than working EU this weekend. Asia was better around their sunset but quickly faded as the night went on. VK/ZL was solid both nights.
80m was just okay. Worked a number of EU stations pointing 90 degrees. Direct path was off the table. Asia was excellent both nights, except there are a finite number of stations to work, so the second night was slower.
If you really wanted to punish yourself, 160m was the place to be. It seemed like I was the only one NOT to get the memo that the contest sponsor cancelled 160m this year – at least that’s how it felt during the contest. The band was extremely poor. If this was your year to do a SB 160m, you have my condolences.
Epilogue
Love this contest. The folks at CQ do a fantastic job and deserve a standing ovation. That said, has the time finally come to award some points for stateside Qs? Our friends in Canada enjoy working us for points. It is a little strange that I can work a VE7 a few miles away and earn points, but not a W1 thousands of miles away?
If the concern is changing the dynamic of the contest, our friends in Canada have been doing for years and it seems to work just fine. I definitely don’t mind taking a few extra seconds to work stateside because I know guys need the zone, but 567 North America Qs is a lot.
Hang on, let me step down from my soapbox so I can thank everyone for the Qs this weekend.
Please stay well. 73, Mitch, K7RL
Cabrillo Statistics (Version 10g) by K5KA & N6TV
http://bit.ly/cabstat
CALLSIGN: K7RL
CONTEST: CQ-WW-SSB
CATEGORY-OPERATOR: SINGLE-OP
CATEGORY-TRANSMITTER: ONE
OPERATORS: K7RL
-------------- Q S O R a t e S u m m a r y ---------------------
Hour 160 80 40 20 15 10 Rate Total Pct
--------------------------------------------------------------------
0000 0 0 0 15 151 0 166 166 6.7
0100 0 0 0 67 68 0 135 301 12.2
0200 0 2 6 77 4 0 89 390 15.8
0300 2 4 19 28 0 0 53 443 17.9
0400 0 10 35 0 0 0 45 488 19.7
0500 3 10 10 0 0 0 23 511 20.7
0600 0 8 35 0 0 0 43 554 22.4
0700 0 11 69 0 0 0 80 634 25.6
0800 0 5 131 0 0 0 136 770 31.1
0900 0 51 26 0 0 0 77 847 34.3
1000 0 18 24 0 0 0 42 889 36.0
1100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 889 36.0
1200 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 889 36.0
1300 0 7 3 0 0 0 10 899 36.4
1400 0 35 5 1 0 0 41 940 38.0
1500 0 0 1 18 14 0 33 973 39.4
1600 0 0 0 95 1 0 96 1069 43.2
1700 0 0 0 120 3 0 123 1192 48.2
1800 0 0 0 87 6 0 93 1285 52.0
1900 0 0 0 49 13 5 67 1352 54.7
2000 0 0 0 9 25 5 39 1391 56.3
2100 0 0 0 84 9 1 94 1485 60.1
2200 0 0 0 68 5 0 73 1558 63.0
2300 0 0 0 91 13 0 104 1662 67.2
0000 0 0 0 63 3 0 66 1728 69.9
0100 0 0 8 9 0 0 17 1745 70.6
0200 0 2 18 2 0 0 22 1767 71.5
0300 0 0 4 1 0 0 5 1772 71.7
0400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1772 71.7
0500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1772 71.7
0600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1772 71.7
0700 1 2 31 0 0 0 34 1806 73.1
0800 0 12 18 0 0 0 30 1836 74.3
0900 0 4 25 0 0 0 29 1865 75.4
1000 1 6 17 0 0 0 24 1889 76.4
1100 4 1 17 0 0 0 22 1911 77.3
1200 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1911 77.3
1300 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1911 77.3
1400 0 3 9 1 0 0 13 1924 77.8
1500 0 0 0 14 3 0 17 1941 78.5
1600 0 0 0 91 0 0 91 2032 82.2
1700 0 0 0 93 0 0 93 2125 86.0
1800 0 0 0 28 0 15 43 2168 87.7
1900 0 0 0 0 14 64 78 2246 90.9
2000 0 0 0 8 15 28 51 2297 92.9
2100 0 0 0 12 56 2 70 2367 95.8
2200 0 0 0 24 41 0 65 2432 98.4
2300 0 0 0 40 0 0 40 2472 100.0
------------------------------------------------------
Total 11 191 511 1195 444 120 2472
Gross QSOs=2516 Dupes=44 Net QSOs=2472
Unique callsigns worked = 2050
The best 60 minute rate was 166/hour from 0000 to 0059
The best 30 minute rate was 180/hour from 0010 to 0039
The best 10 minute rate was 210/hour from 0144 to 0153
The best 1 minute rates were:
6 QSOs/minute 3 times.
5 QSOs/minute 11 times.
4 QSOs/minute 64 times.
3 QSOs/minute 192 times.
2 QSOs/minute 400 times.
1 QSOs/minute 767 times.
There were 363 bandchanges and 154 (6.2%) probable 2nd radio QSOs.
----------------- C o n t i n e n t S u m m a r y -----------------
160 80 40 20 15 10 Total Pct
---------------------------------------------------------------------
North America 11 58 137 202 121 38 567 22.9
South America 0 8 27 31 103 81 250 10.1
Europe 0 2 21 466 1 0 490 19.8
Asia 0 102 202 436 156 0 896 36.2
Africa 0 2 2 11 5 0 20 0.8
Oceania 0 19 122 49 58 1 249 10.1
--------------------------------------------------------------
Total 11 191 511 1195 444 120 2472
Number of letters in callsigns
Letters # worked
-----------------
3 15
4 411
5 719
6 1292
7 11
8 15
9 5
10 3
11 1
------------------ C o u n t r y S u m m a r y ------------------
Country 160 80 40 20 15 10 Total Pct
-------------------------------------------------------------------
*4U1V 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
4X 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
5T 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0
5Z 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
8P 0 0 2 1 0 0 3 0.1
9A 0 0 0 4 0 0 4 0.2
9H 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
9M2 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0.1
9M6 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.1
9V 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
9Y 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 0.1
A6 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.0
BV 0 0 0 5 0 0 5 0.2
BY 0 1 1 34 0 0 36 1.5
CE 0 0 4 2 5 1 12 0.5
CM 0 0 7 2 5 0 14 0.6
CP 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0
CT 0 1 1 12 0 0 14 0.6
CT3 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0.1
CU 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.1
CX 0 0 0 1 2 1 4 0.2
D4 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
DL 0 0 1 68 0 0 69 2.8
DU 0 5 10 17 9 0 41 1.7
E7 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
EA 0 1 1 62 0 0 64 2.6
EA6 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
EA8 0 1 1 3 2 0 7 0.3
EA9 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
EI 0 0 0 5 0 0 5 0.2
ES 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.1
EU 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.0
F 0 0 2 35 0 0 37 1.5
FK 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0.1
FS 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
FY 0 1 1 1 1 1 5 0.2
G 0 0 0 37 0 0 37 1.5
GI 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 0.1
GM 0 0 0 7 0 0 7 0.3
GW 0 0 0 5 0 0 5 0.2
HA 0 0 0 11 0 0 11 0.4
HB 0 0 0 7 0 0 7 0.3
HC 0 1 1 0 2 0 4 0.2
HI 0 0 3 2 2 0 7 0.3
HK 0 1 1 1 4 0 7 0.3
HL 0 0 1 11 1 0 13 0.5
HP 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 0.1
HR 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0
HS 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.1
I 0 0 2 59 0 0 61 2.5
*IG9 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
IS 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
*IT9 0 0 0 7 0 0 7 0.3
JA 0 99 196 361 155 0 811 32.8
JT 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
JW 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
K 6 18 81 111 77 36 329 13.3
KG4 0 0 1 1 0 1 3 0.1
KH0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0.1
KH2 0 0 2 2 1 0 5 0.2
KH6 0 5 15 6 8 1 35 1.4
KL 1 5 4 13 3 0 26 1.1
KP2 0 1 1 2 1 0 5 0.2
KP4 0 3 5 6 8 0 22 0.9
LA 0 0 0 8 0 0 8 0.3
LU 0 0 1 2 21 12 36 1.5
LY 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
LZ 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 0.2
OA 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0.1
OE 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.1
OH 0 0 1 24 0 0 25 1.0
OH0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.1
OK 0 0 1 5 0 0 6 0.2
OM 0 0 0 6 0 0 6 0.2
ON 0 0 0 14 0 0 14 0.6
OZ 0 0 0 4 0 0 4 0.2
P4 0 1 2 2 3 0 8 0.3
PA 0 0 1 20 0 0 21 0.8
PJ2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
PJ4 0 1 0 1 1 0 3 0.1
PY 0 2 13 18 54 65 152 6.1
S5 0 0 0 7 0 0 7 0.3
S7 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
SM 0 0 0 8 0 0 8 0.3
SP 0 0 2 14 0 0 16 0.6
SV 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
TF 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
TG 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
TI 0 0 2 1 1 0 4 0.2
TK 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
UA 0 0 3 6 0 0 9 0.4
UA9 0 2 2 17 0 0 21 0.8
UR 0 0 1 5 0 0 6 0.2
V3 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0.1
V5 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
VE 4 26 24 57 16 1 128 5.2
VK 0 5 62 3 21 0 91 3.7
VP9 0 1 1 1 0 0 3 0.1
VR 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.1
XE 0 1 3 1 5 0 10 0.4
YB 0 2 25 18 18 0 63 2.5
YL 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
YO 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
YU 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 0.2
YV 0 1 2 1 5 0 9 0.4
ZD7 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0
ZF 0 1 1 2 1 0 5 0.2
ZL 0 2 6 0 0 0 8 0.3
ZP 0 0 1 1 1 0 3 0.1
ZS 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 0.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 11 191 511 1195 444 120 2472
------------ M u l t i p l i e r S u m m a r y ------------
Mult 160 80 40 20 15 10 Total Pct
-------------------------------------------------------------
25 0 99 197 372 156 0 824 33.3
14 0 2 6 297 1 0 306 12.4
04 7 16 46 66 72 6 213 8.6
15 0 0 8 152 0 0 160 6.5
11 0 2 14 19 55 65 155 6.3
05 1 8 37 48 14 28 136 5.5
03 2 19 25 55 7 5 113 4.6
30 0 5 60 3 20 0 88 3.6
28 0 2 26 22 18 0 68 2.8
08 0 5 19 16 17 0 57 2.3
27 0 5 13 20 10 0 48 1.9
24 0 1 1 41 0 0 43 1.7
13 0 0 1 3 23 13 40 1.6
09 0 5 6 7 16 2 36 1.5
31 0 5 15 6 8 0 34 1.4
01 1 6 3 13 3 0 26 1.1
16 0 0 5 11 0 0 16 0.6
12 0 0 4 2 5 1 12 0.5
18 0 1 1 9 0 0 11 0.4
33 0 2 1 5 3 0 11 0.4
07 0 2 4 2 3 0 11 0.4
06 0 1 3 1 5 0 10 0.4
19 0 1 1 8 0 0 10 0.4
32 0 2 7 0 1 0 10 0.4
10 0 1 2 0 4 0 7 0.3
20 0 0 2 5 0 0 7 0.3
38 0 0 1 3 0 0 4 0.2
29 0 0 2 0 1 0 3 0.1
02 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0.1
40 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.1
35 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 0.1
26 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0.1
39 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
37 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
23 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.0
21 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.0
36 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0
------------------------------------------------------
Total 11 191 511 1195 444 120 2472
Multi-band QSOs
---------------
1 bands 1771
2 bands 176
3 bands 67
4 bands 32
5 bands 4
6 bands 0
------- S i n g l e B a n d Q S O s ------
Band 160 80 40 20 15 10
----------------------------------------------
QSOs 6 82 328 986 271 98
