[RRDXA] CN2YM (op:DL3YM) (@CN8VO) CQWW-DX-CW SOAB LP (A)

[RRDXA Claimed Score Submission]

Claimed score submission: CQWW-DX-CW 2013

Call: CN2YM (@CN8VO)
Operator(s): DL3YM
Mode: CW
Category: SOAB
Active hours: 43.0
Power: LP
Assisted: yes
Club:Rhein Ruhr DX Association

Summary: 

 Band	   QSOs	    Mults      

 -------------------------------------
  10m:	    686       90      23 
  15m:	    710      105      32 
  20m:	    727       96      31 
  40m:	    932       92      29 
  80m:	    106       58      14 
 160m:	      4        3       2 
 --------------------------------------
 Total:	  3.165      444     131 
 
 Claimed Score:  5.389.475 


Comments: 
Contesting is about winning and setting new records – but in the first place it is about conquering your own, very personal frontiers and having fun doing so.

After learning that because of a paper presentation at a symposium in Morocco this year I would not be able to make it home in time for the CQWW I asked Abdou, CN8VO, if I could operate from his place. We had only met once before, but instantly he offered his shack and provided invaluable help in obtaining a CN-licence. So when I found myself operating from the old quarters in downtown Agadir, being reminded regularly by the muezzin from the nearby mosque that I was far away from home doing what all CW contesters love so dearly, I felt privileged to realize that ham-spirit is alive and kicking – maybe not in rude pile ups, but in people from different cultures becoming friends.

Operating was a challenge to say the least. Abdou’s antenna farm consists of a single double zepp. It worked pretty well on 10 to 40 meters, so so on 80 and not at all on 160. In addition, we would get RF into the shack on all bands from 20 and up, thus making the use of computer-generated CW impossible. It has been a while since I had to send the calls of all stations worked by hand. Sorry for the QSD which got worse with fatigue taking its toll on me. In addition there was this bad local QRM on 15 and 10 meters that would kind of come and go in waves, making copy of all except the loudest signals on those bands very hard occasionally.
But then, I will not complain. CN of course is a perfect location for the CQWW with an excellent take off to both EU and NA. Whenever I moved to a new band it would only take moments for the pile ups to develop – except on 80 and 160. I found it pretty easy to break even big piles on new mults with low power and my modest antenna, probably the CN call sign and the seaside location adding many dBs, hi. As others have noted, condx on Saturday were excellent but seemed to gradually deteriorate as Sunday progressed. I took a 3 hour nap early Sunday morning when 40 meters did not produce any sustained runs anymore and 80 + 160 meters had been worked dry. On Sunday evening I had to stop around 22 UTC in order to pack the station because my flight back to DL via Casablanca was scheduled very early the next morning. So operating time was limited to roughly 43 hours. I am sure that a significantly higher score would have been possible if I had been able to operate the 48 hours straight and if
  that beam that Abdou is planning to set up plus a competitive 80 + 160 antenna would have already been in place. But hey – it is great to have something to look forward to, right?

Tnx all for the QSOs. This sure was a memorable experience. I am grateful that my XYL and my 2 boys let me come home later because I wanted to operate the contest. And my sincere thanks go to Abdou - I feel honored to call you my friend. Looking forward to seeing you again soon, InshaAllah. 



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