Author: K5ZD

                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: K5ZD
Operator(s): K5ZD
Station: K5ZD

Class: SOAB HP
QTH: W1
Operating Time (hrs): 21
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:  114    51
   80:  334    63
   40:  435    82
   20:  965    99
   15:  295    65
   10:    8     4
-------------------
Total: 2151   364  Total Score = 2,348,892

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments

Just playing around.  The rest of life was getting in the way of contesting this weekend.  Plans to visit my inlaws on Sunday canceled out enabling me to get more time in than had originally planned.

Best call worked: DA0UBOOT

Most fun: Getting 50 countries on 160 the first night.

Best rate: 177 QSOs between 1203-1302Z on Sunday (20 meters). This was done with the keyer set to 34WPM and I sent my call after every QSO.  If only more guys would send their calls while running…

Best DX: A tie between VK9DNX on 80m Sun morning or getting called by UN4L on 80m with 10 mins to go.

Worst band: 10m.  Worked all 4 guys that I heard!

Worked 1511 different stations.

Only one 6 bander: V31TP

Lots of 5 banders(28): 4O1A  9A7A  CN2WW  CT9L  DJ9MH  DL7UMK  EA3KU  EF8M F5OGL  FS5KA  HP1XX  I2WIJ  IR4X  J7OJ  LN3Z  LU4DX  OL3Z  OM0M  OM7M  P40W P49Y  PJ4A  UU7J  V49A  VP5/WJ2O  WP3C  YR7M  ZF2AM

(Not sure how I missed HP1XX on 40m!)

I think it is time to really retire from single-op DX contesting.  Had several times with big rates and walked away because I just couldn’t stay with it.

Hard to stay motivated in the part-time operating category as there is nothing to compete for.  Need more guys putting their score in the online scoreboard (www.getscores.org).

Some numbers just for fun.

          160M    80M    40M    20M    15M    10M   Total      %

    AF       4      7     13     23     11      0      58     2.7
    EU      87    298    366    846    224      0    1821    84.7
    AS       2      2     11     36      3      0      54     2.5
    NA      15     17     24     30     20      2     108     5.0
    SA       5      7     14     23     28      6      83     3.9
    OC       1      3      7      7      9      0      27     1.3

QSO/DX by hour and band

Hour   160M     80M     40M     20M     15M     10M    Total     Cumm  OffTime

0000Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
0100Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
0200Z  19/16     -     59/28     -       -       -     78/44     78/44  
0300Z  14/8    57/25    5/5     3/3      -       -     79/41    157/85  
0400Z  14/7    57/13   12/3      -       -       -     83/23    240/108 
0500Z  58/15   10/1     3/3      -       -       -     71/19    311/127 
0600Z    -    104/6     5/2      -       -       -    109/8     420/135 
0700Z   5/3    16/3    64/14     -       -       -     85/20    505/155 
0800Z   2/2    11/7    89/5    --+--   --+--   --+--  102/14    607/169    11
0900Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
1000Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
1100Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0     607/169    60
1200Z    -       -      4/2     9/9     8/8      -     21/19    628/188    47
1300Z    -       -       -    147/31   11/9      -    158/40    786/228 
1400Z    -       -       -     19/1    14/9      -     33/10    819/238    36
1500Z    -       -       -      4/2    76/15     -     80/17    899/255    38
1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   58/4     8/0     1/1    67/5     966/260 
1700Z    -       -       -     34/2     1/0      -     35/2    1001/262    47
1800Z    -       -       -     42/2     6/3      -     48/5    1049/267    40
1900Z    -       -       -     71/15   15/5      -     86/20   1135/287 
2000Z    -       -      7/1      -      2/0      -      9/1    1144/288    49
2100Z    -       -      4/2    29/12    6/3     1/1    40/18   1184/306    22
2200Z    -       -      7/1     3/0      -       -     10/1    1194/307    53
2300Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1194/307    60
0000Z  --+--    2/0    69/5     6/1    --+--   --+--   77/6    1271/313    13
0100Z    -       -     28/1      -       -       -     28/1    1299/314    46
0200Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0300Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0400Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0500Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0600Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0700Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
0800Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--    0/0    1299/314    60
0900Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
1000Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    1299/314    60
1100Z   1/0     5/5    17/5      -       -       -     23/10   1322/324    24
1200Z    -       -       -    166/4     2/0      -    168/4    1490/328 
1300Z    -       -       -    166/4     1/0      -    167/4    1657/332 
1400Z    -       -       -     38/1   101/4      -    139/5    1796/337 
1500Z    -       -       -     64/2     3/2      -     67/4    1863/341    30
1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--    0/0    1863/341    60
1700Z    -       -       -     22/0    21/0      -     43/0    1906/341    30
1800Z    -       -       -     57/1    11/4      -     68/5    1974/346 
1900Z    -       -     18/0     8/0     5/1     6/2    37/3    2011/349    32
2000Z    -       -      4/0     7/3      -       -     11/3    2022/352    44
2100Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    2022/352    60
2200Z    -      1/0    30/4    12/2     4/2      -     47/8    2069/360    23
2300Z   1/0    71/3    10/1      -       -       -     82/4    2151/364 

Tot:  114/51  334/63  435/82  965/99  295/65    8/4

                    CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW 

Call: K5ZD
Class: SOAB HP
Operating Time (hrs): 45
Radios: SO2R 

Summary: 
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------ 
  160:  220    18       68 
   80:  590    28       94 
   40: 1086    33      111 
   20: 1391    34      121 
   15:  780    27       98 
   10:   66    19       45 
------------------------------ 
Total: 4133   159      537     Total Score = 8,233,680 

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club 

Comments:

Wow, what a weekend!

This was the type of contest for what I like — periods of high rate and then periods of multiplier chasing. I love looking for mults!

First two hours of the contest were all search and pounce. When 40 isn’t runnable, I have learned that it is worth more to tune around and work all the mults on 40 that you can and they are all there!). Then you don’t have to worry about them later when band improves and you can be running.

Incredible rates on Sat morning. Had a 4 hour stretch with over 170 per hour! Never did that before. If I wasn’t so old fashioned and sent my call after every QSO, probably could have increased that a bit. This included a period where I went against convention and moved down from 15 before it was closed. The center of gravity for this contest is now in Eastern Europe (zone 15 and 16) so you need to be where they are. Was also hoping 15 would still be good the second day (and it was).

Wandered into some pileups that were huge and got lucky fast. Amazing what calling slightly off frequency can do for standing out from the crowd.

Made myself take a 30 minute sleep break the first night. Then slept 3 hours the second. Mult totals were so high the first night that I knew I could afford to sleep (and it was clear that high band rate was going to be the key to a big score). Felt good all the way to the end. Was only out of the chair 7 times all weekend.

Low bands were amazing. Had 56 countries on 160m the first night (and 81 on 80m!). Bands were so quiet here. No static, so 80/160 sounded just like a good night on 40m. Even had a 160m run of Eu stations Fri night. Activity on 80 and 40 was spread over 100 KHz. Hard to run and still find time to cover everything. Missed some easy mults on 80 as a result.

Line score at the half way point was 2348/133/419 for 3.6M. I would have been very happy to end the contest then. Always difficult to look at another 24 hours in the chair. Set my goal at breaking 8M (and never expected to make it). Took a 10 minute break to celebrate and refill my water glass.

Caught the very end of the 10m opening Sat morning when I found CT1AOZ with a big signal. Listened earlier on Sunday and was suprised to find the band open to more of Europe. All signals were weak, but they could hear me. Had a wild hour running at 150+ rate on 15m and chasing mults on 10m. Adds a little stress and excitement to the process. 10 wasn’t good enough that I wanted to give up the rate on 15m. Missed a few mults as a result. Heard a weak 5A7A work someone, but never heard them CQing.

Asia was the lost continent this weekend. Only worked a few JA on 40 and 20. Had to call almost all of them. Not even that many UA9s. Band was open great, but only so far and only so long.

No equipment failures. WriteLog crashed two times for unknown reason. Logged on paper while doing the restart.

Recorded the audio that was streamed on the Internet. Will put the recording files up on my web site as soon as I can. Some parts of the contest will be pretty boring listening.

The quality of operating was generally good. The European ops just keep getting better and better (and more of them). Only a few crazy pileups where everyone kept calling and calling. Only one real frequency fight.

I spent a good part of the contest asking myself why I do this. Amazing how much fun it seems to have been when I look back on the weekend… I am sure the more time passes, the more fun it will have seemed to have been! 🙂

Numbers:

QSOs by Continent and Band

          160M    80M    40M    20M    15M    10M   Total      % 

    EU     145    467    888   1151    668     12    3331    80.6 
    NA      59     77     95     92     45     15     383     9.3 
    AF       6     18     26     24     15      9      98     2.4 
    SA       8     11     28     42     42     29     160     3.9 
    AS       0      8     33     72      3      0     116     2.8 
    OC       2      9     15      9      7      1      43     1.0 

QSO/ZN+DX by Hour and Band

Hour   160M     80M     40M     20M     15M     10M    Total     Cumm    Off (Mins) 
0000Z  --+--   --+--   77/66   --+--   --+--   --+--   77/66     77/66  
0100Z  20/25   51/45     -       -       -       -     71/70    148/136 
0200Z    -     85/16   18/8      -       -       -    103/24    251/160 
0300Z  11/7    78/5     7/3      -       -       -     96/15    347/175 
0400Z  25/13   27/8      -       -       -       -     52/21    399/196 
0500Z  76/5    17/6      -       -       -       -     93/11    492/207 
0600Z  36/9    24/3      -       -       -       -     60/12    552/219 
0700Z   8/5    71/2     6/4      -       -       -     85/11    637/230 
0800Z   5/6    24/8    15/13   --+--   --+--   --+--   44/27    681/257 
0900Z   2/0    16/11    4/2     4/8      -       -     26/21    707/278 
1000Z    -      5/2     9/1      -       -       -     14/3     721/281 
1100Z   2/0     3/1     5/4    67/30     -       -     77/35    798/316   36
1200Z    -       -      9/5   114/14    4/8      -    127/27    925/343 
1300Z    -       -       -     75/7   101/27     -    176/34   1101/377 
1400Z    -       -       -     19/9   161/12     -    180/21   1281/398 
1500Z    -       -       -    126/8    45/15     -    171/23   1452/421 
1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--  163/5     9/8    --+--  172/13   1624/434 
1700Z    -       -       -    139/5      -     14/20  153/25   1777/459 
1800Z    -       -       -     84/7    30/17    5/6   119/30   1896/489 
1900Z    -       -       -     45/14   23/13    2/1    70/28   1966/517 
2000Z    -       -     87/5     6/3      -      2/1    95/9    2061/526 
2100Z    -       -    119/6      -      9/3      -    128/9    2189/535 
2200Z    -       -     77/6    11/4      -       -     88/10   2277/545 
2300Z    -     18/0    27/3    26/4      -       -     71/7    2348/552 
0000Z   4/4    49/1    --+--    2/0    --+--   --+--   55/5    2403/557   10
0100Z   2/1    40/4    12/0     1/0      -       -     55/5    2458/562 
0200Z  17/5      -      1/0     7/5      -       -     25/10   2483/572   20
0300Z   6/1    11/5    38/1      -       -       -     55/7    2538/579 
0400Z   2/0    21/1    26/2      -       -       -     49/3    2587/582 
0500Z   2/4     2/1    76/3      -       -       -     80/8    2667/590 
0600Z    -      6/1    90/3      -       -       -     96/4    2763/594 
0700Z    -      3/0   109/2      -       -       -    112/2    2875/596 
0800Z   1/0     6/1    72/3    --+--   --+--   --+--   79/4    2954/600    6
0900Z    -       -       -       -       -       -      0/0    2954/600   60
1000Z    -      2/0      -       -       -       -      2/0    2956/600   50
1100Z    -      1/0    10/1    87/5      -       -     98/6    3054/606 
1200Z    -       -      1/0   126/1     7/1      -    134/2    3188/608 
1300Z    -       -       -     33/0   121/5     8/9   162/14   3350/622 
1400Z    -       -       -       -    139/4    15/15  154/19   3504/641 
1500Z    -       -       -       -    102/5    13/7   115/12   3619/653 
1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--  105/4     8/0    --+--  113/4    3732/657 
1700Z    -       -       -     71/6     5/1     2/2    78/9    3810/666 
1800Z    -       -       -     30/6     6/2     1/1    37/9    3847/675 
1900Z    -       -     43/2     1/1     6/1     4/2    54/6    3901/681 
2000Z    -       -     58/0     6/0     4/3      -     68/3    3969/684 
2100Z    -       -     58/1     8/4      -       -     66/5    4035/689 
2200Z    -       -     29/0    27/5      -       -     56/5    4091/694 
2300Z   1/1    30/1     3/0     8/0      -       -     42/2    4133/696 

Tot:  220/86  590/122 1086/   1391/   780/125  66/64                     182 
                         /144    /155 

Most worked countries (>100 QSOs):

          160M    80M    40M    20M    15M    10M   Total 

    DL      33     80    113    244    164            634 
    EA       3     13     30     35     20      2     103 
     F       6     22     58     51     46            183 
     G      11     36     53     84     33            217 
    HA       2     18     26     30     30            106 
     I       3     15     42     54     43      1     158 
    OK      17     42     73     79     68            279 
    SP       5     14     37     57     39            152 
    UA       3     32     73     92     12            212 
    UR       3     21     60     59     27            170 
    VE      27     34     38     34     15            148 

Unique callsigns worked = 2820

The best 60 minute rate was 193/hour from 1337 to 1436 The best 30 minute rate was 196/hour from 1417 to 1446 The best 10 minute rate was 222/hour from 1343 to 1352

There were 720 bandchanges and 346 probable 2nd radio QSO’s.

The following 11 stations were worked on 6 bands:

ZF1A 8P5A CT9L V47NT PS2T TI5N
HC8N P49Y KP3Z 9Y4AA V26K

Worked 26 other stations on 5 bands.

Station:

Radio 1 FT1000D + Alpha 76Ca
Radio 2 FT1000D + Ameritron AL-1200
WriteLog software with W5XD keyer (this is the ideal SO2R setup)

Tower 1
40-2CD @ 110′
205CA stack at 100’/50′
155CA stack at 66’/33′
160m Ground Plane hanging from tower

Tower 2
6-el 10m @ 90′
80m 4 square wires hanging from tower
Shunt fed for 160m

Tower 3
TH7DXX @ 40′ (always pointing South)

500′ Beverage to NE

                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: K5ZD

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: WMA
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    7
   80:  204
   40:  699
   20:  314
   15:  126
   10:    0
------------
Total: 1350  Sections = 80  Total Score = 216,000

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments

I think I worked two of every section. VE4VV provided number 80 on Sunday morning.

Excellent conditions all weekend. Nice to see 40m with relatively short conditions all night. Absolutely no noise here in New England so working 80 and 40 was a pleasure.

Tried something different for off times this year. Operated the first 12 hours without getting out of the chair. Then 3 hours off for sleep. Then back on for 9 hours with no breaks. So operated 21 of the first 24 hours. It always seems like the hours from 23z to 02z are always terrible from here, so decided I would stay on as long as the rate was over 30 per hour. Ended up burning 3 hours of off time in the last 5 hours of the contest, which seemed to work out OK.

We have less and less of the old timer traffic handlers every year. Kudos to those who organize their clubs to make a big effort. Also thanks to all of the QRP stations who join in.

The quality of operating from everyone was superb. Only a few people didn’t know what PR or PREC meant! 🙂

This is my 30th consecutive year with over 1000 QSOs. I think it is time to hang up the streak. But you never know, the lure of SS CW is strong.

Rates

QSO/Sec by hour and band

Hour    160     80      40      20      15     Total     Cumm    OffTime
2100Z    -       -       -     25/14   64/23   89/37     89/37  
2200Z    -       -       -     56/15   30/6    86/21    175/58  
2300Z    -       -     32/4    46/6      -     78/10    253/68  
0000Z  --+--   --+--   80/4    12/0    --+--   92/4     345/72  
0100Z    -      6/1    73/1     3/0      -     82/2     427/74  
0200Z    -     11/1    73/2      -       -     84/3     511/77  
0300Z    -      7/1    84/0      -       -     91/1     602/78  
0400Z    -     18/0    59/1      -       -     77/1     679/79  
0500Z    -     24/0    36/0      -       -     60/0     739/79  
0600Z    -     21/0    23/0      -       -     44/0     783/79  
0700Z    -     38/0    13/0      -       -     51/0     834/79  
0800Z  --+--   11/0    23/0    --+--   --+--   34/0     868/79     6
0900Z    -       -       -       -       -      0/0     868/79    60
1000Z    -       -       -       -       -      0/0     868/79    60
1100Z    -       -       -       -       -      0/0     868/79    60
1200Z    -     31/0    18/0      -       -     49/0     917/79     2
1300Z    -      7/0    30/0    11/1      -     48/1     965/80  
1400Z    -       -     23/0    26/0      -     49/0    1014/80  
1500Z    -       -     32/0     5/0      -     37/0    1051/80  
1600Z  --+--   --+--   27/0     5/0     5/0    37/0    1088/80  
1700Z    -       -     21/0     9/0     4/0    34/0    1122/80  
1800Z    -       -      3/0    32/0      -     35/0    1157/80  
1900Z    -       -       -     33/0     5/0    38/0    1195/80  
2000Z    -       -      3/0    29/0     3/0    35/0    1230/80  
2100Z    -       -       -      9/0    12/0    21/0    1251/80    32
2200Z    -       -      7/0     7/0     3/0    17/0    1268/80    38
2300Z    -      8/0     9/0     3/0      -     20/0    1288/80    16
0000Z  --+--    1/0     3/0     3/0    --+--    7/0    1295/80    43
0100Z   4/0    21/0    16/0      -       -     41/0    1336/80     3
0200Z   3/0      -     11/0      -       -     14/0    1350/80    40

Tot:    7/0   204/3   699/12  314/36  126/29

                    ARRL DX Contest, CW

Call: K5ZD
Operator(s): K5ZD, N5KO

Class: M/S HP
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   96    54
   80:  639    85
   40: 1120   103
   20: 1331   103
   15:  750   103
   10:   36    22
-------------------
Total: 3972   470  Total Score = 5,600,520

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments

1. The great thing about radio contests is that no two are ever the same!
2. Famous YCCC quote, “There’s no meters like 10 meters.”  But, what happens if there’s no 10 meters?!

Trey, N5KO, was in Boston on business and accepted the invitation to do a multi-single effort.  Trey did most of the operating and we had a great time doing a “tag-team” effort.  I.e., one guy operated until he was tired and then tag, the other op was “it”!

Conditions were excellent here in ‘New Europe’.  We spent most of our time running or CQing because the 6 band change per hour restriction limited the ability to chase QSOs or multipliers on the less active bands.  There were many hours we would save our band changes and then do all 6 in the last 10 minutes.

Note to ARRL CAC: Please change rule to allow 10 band changes per hour!

160 – Conditions were very good.  HA5JI was consistently the loudest European. Didn’t seem to be much activity as we got very few answers to CQs.

80 – Good both nights, although we probably didn’t spend enough time there on Friday night.  Made up for it on Sat night. Happy to work JA2ZJW on Sunday morning. Very nice signals from Europe during the last hour.  Heard HS0ZDJ on LP very strong during that time, but he wasn’t hearing anyone.

40 – Open all the time it seemed.  Amazing how far past European sunrise we could still get answers to CQs.  At one point on Sunday morning I was working Europe and had a very loud HS0ZDJ call on LP (from the southwest)!

20 – Opened right on schedule both days with excellent European signals. Usually the band with the highest multiplier, 20 was lagging 40 and 15 until the last hour of the contest!

15 – Went to 15 early on Sat morning because couldn’t believe the band was so open, or that it would be so good the second day.  It ended up being better than expected both days.  Even had several VU and HS0 call in on Sunday afternoon. No JA on Fri or Sat, but the big JA stations had good signals on Sun right to the end of the contest.

80m antenna had broken from the wind and fallen across the top 15m beam so most of our big rate on Sat morning was with a single 5-ele at 33 feet! Fixed the problem about 15z (man it was cold outside!).

10 – Ugh.  2 QSOs on Sat (CU2A and LR2F).  Band opened better on Sunday, but the Caribbean and Central America never got very loud so it took time to work through each pileup.  Causing some difficult band change decisions since 20 was still runnable to Europe at the time.

We had one equipment failure.  The 40m beam became intermittent on receive Sunday morning. Seemed to be OK on transmit, but there is a loose connection or broken coax connector shield out there somewhere. Way tooooo cold to figure it out now!

With 4 hours to go, we were hoping to break 4000 QSOs.  Unfortunately, the mental wheels came off (or we ran out of people to work) and we limped home with some pretty slow hours.  The 40m beam problem caused us not to stay committed to 40m as much as we probably should have, but it’s hard to keep calling CQ when you aren’t getting any answers!

Not as many bad signals this year as in the past, but still too many. Especially from some very large (and loud) Eastern European stations.  Only a few lid frequency fights.

I don’t normally get to use Packet so it was interesting to see how it helped and hurt the score.  Since we could only get one operator at the radio at a time (this is an SO2R station – not multi-op), we relied on packet a lot to be the “second op”.  With all the busted calls, sometimes it was dangerous as the station we found was not the call that was spotted. Amazing to see how fast one spot could instantly bring hundreds of frenzied contesters to one frequency!

Even so, we almost always could find more QSOs (and even new mults) by tuning around ourselves.  The worst case was on Sunday when several spots blew our call sign (KH7D and K5ZB).  The KH7D resulted in lots of W/VE calling us (many of them were stations that should have been able to copy our CW and known better…) and K5ZB bringing a round of European dupes.

Thanks to all the DX stations that spend time to give us so much fun!

Special thanks to P40W, 8P9PA, and the other DX stations who signed their call on a regular basis…

Recorded the entire contest and will have it available on my website as soon as I can edit the files into manageable sizes.

The Numbers

 Hour     160M     80M     40M     20M     15M     10M    Total     Cumm 

D1-0000Z  --+--   10/9   122/34   --+--   --+--   --+--  132/43    132/43  
D1-0100Z    -     29/11   44/6      -       -       -     73/17    205/60  
D1-0200Z    -     68/12   22/2      -       -       -     90/14    295/74  
D1-0300Z   2/2    72/22     -       -       -       -     74/24    369/98  
D1-0400Z  36/28    5/0    17/3     3/3      -       -     61/34    430/132 
D1-0500Z  13/8     2/1    80/3      -       -       -     95/12    525/144 
D1-0600Z   8/3    41/4    22/10     -       -       -     71/17    596/161 
D1-0700Z    -      1/1   104/4      -       -       -    105/5     701/166 
D1-0800Z   1/1     2/2    62/4    --+--   --+--   --+--   65/7     766/173 
D1-0900Z    -      1/1    59/3    35/14     -       -     95/18    861/191 
D1-1000Z    -       -       -    155/18     -       -    155/18   1016/209 
D1-1100Z    -       -      3/3   189/17     -       -    192/20   1208/229 
D1-1200Z    -       -       -     37/1   141/36     -    178/37   1386/266 
D1-1300Z    -       -       -       -    164/11     -    164/11   1550/277 
D1-1400Z    -       -       -       -    115/5     1/1   116/6    1666/283 
D1-1500Z    -       -       -     26/2    54/18     -     80/20   1746/303 
D1-1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--  128/1     3/3    --+--  131/4    1877/307 
D1-1700Z    -       -       -     81/8     3/3      -     84/11   1961/318 
D1-1800Z    -       -       -     60/8     1/1     1/1    62/10   2023/328 
D1-1900Z    -       -     30/1    19/10   17/6      -     66/17   2089/345 
D1-2000Z    -       -     59/1     3/2      -       -     62/3    2151/348 
D1-2100Z    -       -     86/1     2/2     1/1      -     89/4    2240/352 
D1-2200Z    -      1/1    74/3     2/2      -       -     77/6    2317/358 
D1-2300Z    -     61/0    30/2     2/2      -       -     93/4    2410/362 
D2-0000Z   1/1    57/6     9/9    --+--   --+--   --+--   67/16   2477/378 
D2-0100Z   5/1    33/3     3/2      -       -       -     41/6    2518/384 
D2-0200Z  15/1     6/0    25/0      -       -       -     46/1    2564/385 
D2-0300Z    -     37/1      -      1/1      -       -     38/2    2602/387 
D2-0400Z   9/3    20/1    15/2      -       -       -     44/6    2646/393 
D2-0500Z   2/2    58/4    13/0      -       -       -     73/6    2719/399 
D2-0600Z   2/2    64/1     1/1      -       -       -     67/4    2786/403 
D2-0700Z    -     12/0    69/1      -       -       -     81/1    2867/404 
D2-0800Z  --+--    1/1    56/0    --+--   --+--   --+--   57/1    2924/405 
D2-0900Z   1/1      -     57/2      -       -       -     58/3    2982/408 
D2-1000Z   1/1     4/2    21/3      -       -       -     26/6    3008/414 
D2-1100Z    -       -      4/1   103/1      -       -    107/2    3115/416 
D2-1200Z    -      1/1     1/1   124/4     1/1      -    127/7    3242/423 
D2-1300Z    -       -       -     21/0   101/2      -    122/2    3364/425 
D2-1400Z    -       -       -       -     87/6      -     87/6    3451/431 
D2-1500Z    -       -       -     45/1    29/3     1/1    75/5    3526/436 
D2-1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   86/1    --+--    1/0    87/1    3613/437 
D2-1700Z    -       -       -     54/1     3/3    14/9    71/13   3684/450 
D2-1800Z    -       -       -     35/0     3/0    14/8    52/8    3736/458 
D2-1900Z    -       -      5/0    48/1     2/2     3/2    58/5    3794/463 
D2-2000Z    -       -      4/0    35/1     1/0     1/0    41/1    3835/464 
D2-2100Z    -       -     12/1    11/0    13/2      -     36/3    3871/467 
D2-2200Z    -       -     11/0    25/1    11/0      -     47/1    3918/468 
D2-2300Z    -     53/1      -      1/1      -       -     54/2    3972/470 

Total:    96/54  639/85 1120/103 1331/103 750/103 36/22 

The best 60-minute rate was 194/hour from 1104 to 1203

The best 30-minute rate was 202/hour from 1127 to 1156

The best 10-minute rate was 216/hour from 1127 to 1136

          160M    80M    40M    20M    15M    10M   Total      %

    EU      65    584   1033   1195    650      1    3528    88.8
    AF       1      6     13     15     18      1      54     1.4
    AS       1      8     25     76     25      0     135     3.4
    NA      23     26     26     25     29     16     145     3.7
    SA       6     12     15     14     19     18      84     2.1
    OC       0      3      8      6      9      0      26     0.7

“Only” 88% Europe…  most worked countries were

          160M    80M    40M    20M    15M    10M   Total
    DL      14     82    163    202    102            563
    OK       2     59     75     79     55            270
     G       4     49     89     91     21            254
    UA       1     44     68     96     44            253
     I       3     21     69     72     66            231

Multi-band QSO’s

—————-

1 bands    1486

2 bands     422

3 bands     269

4 bands     152

5 bands      25

6 bands      17

(During the contest I would have thought we had many more multi-band QSOs as it seemed many stations were on 3 or 4 bands, but guess not!)

The following stations were worked on 6 bands:

V31PP CU2A J7OJ VP2MVX TI5N TO9A WP2Z  8P9PA  P49Y   VP9/W6PH   PJ4R   P40W  PJ2T HI3TEJ HQ9H FG/N0YY V26G

          CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: K5ZD 
Operator(s): K5ZD 
Station: K5ZD 
Class: SOAB HP 
QTH: MA 
Operating Time (hrs): 45.5 
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
160:  112    17       56
 80:  792    22       92
 40:  821    30      108
 20: 1458    36      125
 15:  548    25      104
 10:   40    12       23
------------------------------
Total: 3771   142      508  Total Score = 7,063,550

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments:

Wow.  When the contest started I thought 5 million would be a big score, but conditions (and activity) were amazing. Glad I have this contest recorded because there are parts of it I will want to listen to so I can make sure I wasn’t hallucinating!

As always, the contest is so big there are stations that I just can’t find. Never heard a KL7 until last 30 mins of the contest, then worked two of them. Only heard 9Y4AA the 3 times when I worked him on 20,15, and 10.  Never anywhere else.  When I work all the other Carribbean guys on 4 or 5 bands, weird that one like that gets away.  Missed V31TM on 10 and 15.  How does that happen?! Never heard UA9AYA on 40m, then see he made a huge score there.  Worked 8Q7DV on 80 and 20, but never heard them anywhere else.  That is what makes this contest so cool – and why the scores keep getting bigger.

The audio recording will be on-line within the next week or so.  There are some excellent low band runs with once in a lifetime clear frequency, low low noise, and high rate.  Also lots of SO2R examples where I was messing up 2 QSOs at the same time.

For the packet guys, stations that identify with “TU” may be OK.  But for a single op, I would have to wait until they decided to send their call.  In some cases this took some badgering.  Packet enables these guys to run and run without having to identify because there is always a string of callers. Frustrating at times.  Otherwise, I thought the overall calliber of operating was pretty good.

Slept 45 mins the first night because my back was killing me.  Felt much better after that.  Slept 90 minutes the second night – not because I was sleepy then but because I wanted to be fully alert when the high band rates were happening.

My motivation to get through this contest was that it would be my last full out 48 hour single op effort.  Although I will probably forget that pledge when next November rolls around…

The numbers:

Hour      160M     80M     40M     20M     15M     10M    Total     Cumm   Off

D1-0000Z   1/2    --+--   75/55    8/12   --+--   --+--   84/69     84/69

D1-0100Z  15/14   68/38    4/2      -       -       -     87/54    171/123

D1-0200Z  13/8    21/5    11/3    17/12     -       -     62/28    233/151

D1-0300Z   5/2    38/17   27/6      -       -       -     70/25    303/176

D1-0400Z  11/4    58/6     6/2      -       -       -     75/12    378/188

D1-0500Z   9/4    39/7     4/3      -       -       -     52/14    430/202

D1-0600Z   5/3    44/6     8/0      -       -       -     57/9     487/211

D1-0700Z  18/14   42/3     4/2     1/1      -       -     65/20    552/231

D1-0800Z   3/4    25/8     8/6    --+--   --+--   --+--   36/18    588/249

D1-0900Z   2/2     4/4    77/11     -       -       -     83/17    671/266

D1-1000Z    -       -     12/3    51/23     -       -     63/26    734/292

D1-1100Z    -      3/2     3/0    32/14     -       -     38/16    772/308  48

D1-1200Z    -       -      4/4   130/16    4/8      -    138/28    910/336

D1-1300Z    -       -       -    134/12   16/20     -    150/32   1060/368

D1-1400Z    -       -       -     64/7    79/24     -    143/31   1203/399

D1-1500Z    -       -       -      9/5   101/8     8/13  118/26   1321/425

D1-1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   47/5    36/23    7/6    90/34   1411/459

D1-1700Z    -       -       -     97/2    13/4      -    110/6    1521/465

D1-1800Z    -       -       -     56/4    10/7    13/8    79/19   1600/484

D1-1900Z    -       -       -     53/10    8/6     2/1    63/17   1663/501

D1-2000Z    -       -     85/7     7/4     3/1      -     95/12   1758/513

D1-2100Z    -       -    100/2     4/0     1/0      -    105/2    1863/515

D1-2200Z    -       -     87/5     8/4      -       -     95/9    1958/524

D1-2300Z   1/0    10/0    58/1     5/4      -       -     74/5    2032/529

D2-0000Z  --+--    8/0    19/0     4/1    --+--   --+--   31/1    2063/530

D2-0100Z    -     30/4    13/6      -       -       -     43/10   2106/540

D2-0200Z  14/8     8/2     3/0      -       -       -     25/10   2131/550

D2-0300Z   8/4    37/1     1/1     2/0      -       -     48/6    2179/556

D2-0400Z    -     70/2     3/2      -       -       -     73/4    2252/560

D2-0500Z   2/0    68/0     1/1      -       -       -     71/1    2323/561

D2-0600Z   1/0   102/2      -       -       -       -    103/2    2426/563

D2-0700Z    -     84/0     4/0      -       -       -     88/0    2514/563

D2-0800Z   1/2     6/1     1/0    --+--   --+--   --+--    8/3    2522/566  47

D2-0900Z    -      2/0     1/0      -       -       -      3/0    2525/566  55

D2-1000Z   1/0     6/1    13/7      -       -       -     20/8    2545/574
D2-1100Z    -      2/0    10/0    33/3      -       -     45/3    2590/577
D2-1200Z    -       -       -    156/3     1/0      -    157/3    2747/580
D2-1300Z    -       -       -    141/1     8/1      -    149/2    2896/582
D2-1400Z    -       -       -     27/0   129/9      -    156/9    3052/591
D2-1500Z    -       -       -     13/2   108/6     3/4   124/12   3176/603
D2-1600Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   98/1    11/2     2/2   111/5    3287/608
D2-1700Z    -       -       -     69/1     8/5      -     77/6    3364/614
D2-1800Z    -       -       -     74/0     3/2     5/1    82/3    3446/617
D2-1900Z    -       -       -     53/5     7/1      -     60/6    3506/623
D2-2000Z    -       -     74/6     1/1     1/2      -     76/9    3582/632
D2-2100Z    -       -     90/3     4/1     1/0      -     95/4    3677/636
D2-2200Z    -       -     15/0    42/2      -       -     57/2    3734/638
D2-2300Z   2/2    17/5      -     18/5      -       -     37/12   3771/650
 
Total:   112/73  792/114 821/1381458/161 548/129  40/35

The best 60 minute rate was 165/hour from 1418 to 1517 The best 30 minute rate was 180/hour from 1448 to 1517 The best 10 minute rate was 222/hour from 1449 to 1458

By continent

       160M    80M    40M    20M    15M    10M   Total      %

 EU      54    681    664   1216    427      0    3042    80.7 
 NA      44     76     82     83     42     10     337     8.9 
 SA       8     15     22     38     39     25     147     3.9 
 AS       2      6     22     88      8      0     126     3.3 
 AF       4     12     20     21     26      5      88     2.3 
 OC       0      1     11     11      5      0      28     0.7 

The following stations were worked on 6 bands:

VP9I        PZ5C        P40L        HC8N        WP2Z        PJ2T VE3EJ       8P5A        5J1W