[SFDXA] CQ WW 160 CW contest: the big one!

[Ed Callaway]

Fascinating -- I fell in love with 160 when I worked KL7RA in the 2009 CQ WW 160 CW contest from W4MOT, under similar conditions and for the same reasons.  I wonder how many others he has so motivated?  Hearing Alaska on 160m with an inverted-L antenna on the roof of an industrial plant, next door to an electrical substation, surrounded by suburbs with 40-year-old power lines in the middle of a major metropolitan area of several million people -- I just couldn't believe it.

A few months later, during the IARU HF World Championship, while at K4FK I was amazed to work W1AW/KL7 on 10m at 10:30 in the morning (and at the bottom of the sunspot cycle!), and then again on 80m 20 hours later.  Not to mention the other QSOs in the contest, on 20 and 15m.  Where was W1AW/KL7?  At KL7RA, of course. . . .

Ed N4II.

-----Original Message-----
From: sfdxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:sfdxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bill Marx
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 4:17 PM
To: sfDXA at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [SFDXA] CQ WW 160 CW contest: the big one!

 From Tony N2MFT


    CQ WW 160 CW contest: the big one!

CQ WW 160 CW contest: the big one!

Contesters,

The most fascinating event of the year is quickly approaching!

More than contesters, we are first DXers and we all know what a rush it 
is to work a DX station on the *TOP BAND*!During the *CQWW 160 Meter 
contest* (27/29 January) the challenge is two-fold.

We need to be prepared to copy signals, very often weak signals, in a 
very crowded band.

Outside of contest periods the DX is more readable as the band is much 
quieter, but during contest time it is a different story, that of loud 
signals very close to each other making everything ten times as difficult.

To put together a competitive station often means to increase the type 
and number of RX systems and the directional patterns covered. Different 
systems mean different receiving characteristics which better allow for 
changing band conditions.

Many stations will log more than 1000 QSOs in a single weekend. It is 
possible to work really tough countries just because the paths between 
us and the DX is not normally so easily bridged on 160 meters!

Personally, after tens of thousands of contest QSOs during the past 20 
years, there is a QSO that I always remember in a special way: back in 
1995 it just so happened that I worked KL7RA during CQWW 160 CW and it 
was so unpredictable that I fell in love with the Top Band!

So, don't get the idea that it's an impossible band to work!

It is just THE TOP BAND!

The important thing is to be there ready to seize the moment!

To check the rules and much more http://www.cq160.com/rules.htm

GL in the contest!

http://www.dxcoffee.com/eng/2012/01/25/cq-ww-160-cw-contest-great-one/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dxcoffee%2Feng+%28DxCoffee+-+Hamradio+Magazine%29 
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