[GCARC] CQ WPX CW Contest

Mon May 25 17:08:46 EDT 2020

Tony,
All very good points. I know I will be in this contest full-time, and like you,it's one of my favorites. I just looked over the club roster, and noticed there are quite a few Extra class2x1 calls!
You are all multipliers as well, and I guarantee you even if you get on a couple hours and call CQ with low power or even QRP if that's your style, you will be popular and get a lot of calls. 
Or, just get on and give WA2FZB or AB2E a call!
While not a DX contest per se, you will still work a lot of dx when the bands are open. If you're looking to earn DXCC, it should be possible to do in one weekend. With lousy band conditions, it will be mostly 20m with possible 15m openings, move to 40m to get those double pointers late afternoon and early evening, and 80m the rest of the night.

And if your CW is a little slow, just call the stations at your speed. Many ops will slow down (if I am called at slower speed I always try to match that speed when I reply).

So come on out for WPX CW!
You're going to be home anyway, so have some radio fun,
73 and all the best,
Darrell AB2E

> On May 25, 2020 at 10:08 AM Tony Starr <tstarr1450 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Greetings GCARC!
> 
> As chairman of the GCARC Contest committee, I would like to take a moment
> to notify you of a great contest coming up next weekend, the CQ WPX CW
> contest. While the WPX has been a favorite of mine for the past few years,
> I don't normally get the opportunity to operate the CW weekend much, if at
> all, because most of the time, the CW weekend falls on Memorial Day
> weekend, and I usually have three or four backyard BBQ type of events to
> attend. This year, thanks to some calendar oddities, the WPX CW will be
> held on the weekend AFTER Memorial Day, so I am really looking forward to
> operating in it!
> 
> The rules of this contest are a bit different than the DX contests, but
> just as much fun, maybe even more. Basically, anyone can work anyone, but
> more points are awarded for contacts in different countries or on different
> continents than are contacts with others in your own country. Also, the
> lower frequency bands (40, 80, and 160) are worth DOUBLE the points as on
> the higher bands. This is a great advantage during periods of low sunspot
> activity, and for operators who prefer to operate during the evening and
> late night hours. The multipliers are based on call sign prefixes, rather
> than state or country, so a K2, N2, W2, WA2, or KA2 call would all be
> separate multipliers, although not on a per band basis. (Each multiplier
> counts once)
> 
> Since this is a serial number contest, it may be necessary for those who
> are a bit rusty to dust off their CW copying prior to the contest. I
> recommend that you download Morse Runner at no cost, as not only is it an
> excellent CW contest practice program, but the default exchange of RST and
> serial number is identical to the real WPX contest exchange. There are many
> call signs pre-loaded into Morse Runner, both DX and domestic, so you will
> get a "real-feal" contest experience. Download it today, and practice twice
> a day for 20 to 30 minutes every day this week, and chances are you will be
> in much better shape to start the contest on Friday night.
> 
> The CQ WPX contest is based around the WPX award that CW offers, and I
> guarantee that if you operate this contest even a few times, you will
> probably have enough prefixes worked to qualify for the award. If you like
> to collect wallpaper, this is an easy one to get. So, if your favorite
> park, campground or pub is still closed next weekend, and you are looking
> for something to do, why not blow the dust off your old paddles or key and
> get in on the fun in the CQ WPX CW contest! I look forward to working many
> of my GCARC friends in the WPX CW!
> 
> Tony WA2FZB
> ______________________________________________________________
> GCARC mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/gcarc
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:GCARC at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html