The CQ World Wide DX Contest has become one of the highlights of the amateur radio contest calendar and symbolizes the spirit and passion for communication within this community. It has been held since 1945. The goal of the contest is to make as many contacts as possible with amateur radio operators from around the world within a limited time. Contestants are divided into various categories based on power, band, and transmitter type. As a lover of voice contacts—that is, SSB—I couldn’t miss this year’s edition at the end of October.
Fully extended RDM-12 mast
After years of not having my antennas fully set up, I finally managed to add an inverted V antenna for 40m to my RDM-12 mast. Inside the box on the mast is an antenna switch with a relay controlled by a band decoder. The antennas are thus automatically switched according to the frequency. They are:
- an inverted V for 80m @12m high
- an inverted V for 40m @ 9m high
- a Moxon tribander for 20 m, 15 m, and 10 m at a height of 15 m
Propagation conditions on the HF bands are close to solar maximum—that is, a period when even the upper HF bands are open. That’s why I also considered the all-band category. However, family reasons led me to choose the less demanding single-band category: 15m with low-power assisted operation.
Dočítate sa:
TIP: VOACAP online
My last activity on this band was in 2020. It was also during the CQ World Wide DX Contest, where Oliver OM0RX and I used only a W-8010 antenna on a small mast. That’s why I’m now using the VOACAP online propagation forecast to help me
Sample graph from VOACAP online
It’s relatively simple: first, I specify the antenna, mode, and band. In the top bar, I select my country and the target country. Then, using the Prop Charts function, I open a window with the prediction, where I select the desired band. The green curve shows the predicted signal strength at the target location.
The CQ World Wide DX Contest 2023 Begins
The first contact in my log is A44A. The start of the contest is always easier because, even when searching, you don’t come across a station you already have in your log. I’m also participating in the 2023 CQ World Wide DX Contest, China:
The first Japanese station is JR2GRX:
The CQ World Wide DX Contest also brings friends together across great distances. Many stations travel to attractive locations where they set up their antennas and equipment specifically for this weekend. Michal also set out on such a long journey; he was on the island of Pantelleria as IH9/OK1M:
The first American is K1RM:
Followed by K1LZ:
Of course, generating such signals in Europe requires top-of-the-line antennas and high power output. But the results are clearly audible. Among a series of such stations, I also managed to find OY6A from the Faroe Islands:
The Caribbean is a relatively popular place for transmitting in this contest. The reasons are:
- the location’s rarity in amateur radio
- the scoring system in CQ WW
- a suitable location in terms of signal propagation on shortwave
- its relative proximity to areas with higher amateur radio activity
An example is 8P5A from Barbados:
I also operate as VE3VN. Ron has an excellent blog that is a treasure trove of inspiration.
My last connection on Saturday was with N2IC. Due to family commitments, I’m wrapping up at 7:30 p.m. our time. There were certainly still plenty of signals on the band at that point. I also paused my operation several times during the day. In any case, there are over a quarter of a thousand contacts in the log.
Day Two of the CQ World Wide DX Contest 2023
I start earlier, which pays off, and a station from India, VU2GHO, is added to the log:
JE6RPM kicked off a great series of Japanese stations:
JF2QNM:
JE1LFX:
JA0FVU:
… and others. I admire their operation. You can tell they make an effort to decode even weaker signals and are thorough in their contacts. I also log DF7A and E7DX on the side. Not because of the distance, but because they count as multipliers for the country. The distance to these countries isn’t ideal for 15-meter HF propagation, so their signals aren’t strong:
We’ll also say hello to Oliver OM0RX:
Sometimes a rare contact like Guam, AH2R, works out:
I was looking forward to LX8M. The team includes ON4EI, who used to travel to Ireland with a camper for several years. Here, within a few days, he set up an entire station and operated with excellent results. There’s a lot of inspiration to be found in the evolution of his portable operations
In addition, LX8M represents another multiplier:
Stations in areas where the weather isn’t kind to antennas have a tough time. TF3T, who added two multipliers, could certainly confirm this:
4U1A is also a multiplier:
Next up is AA3B:
In the evening, I finally find the first station from Argentina, LT1F:
And also Uruguay, CX7SS:
French Guiana joins the list as well, FY5FY:
With a bit of luck, I also make contact with Réunion, TO7K:
Why “luckily”? There weren’t many African stations in this year’s CQ WW contest. I’d seen TO7K on the DX cluster several times, but this was the first time I’d heard him.
The last contact was L71D:
The longest contact was with ZL7IO, at approximately 18,800 kilometers. Chatham Island is one of New Zealand’s ten main islands. It is located to the east of the North Island. With its stunning natural beauty and unique ecosystem, this island is a popular destination for ecotourism. Chatham is also home to several species of birds and marine mammals, offering visitors a unique wildlife viewing experience.
DXCC Overview in the 2023 CQ WW DX Contest
Number of Contacts per Hour in the 2023 CQ WW DX Contest
The log contains 450 contacts, including two duplicates. A total of 98 DXCC countries and 30 zones, which amounts to just under 120,000 points. Even though the operating conditions weren’t ideal, it was an experience—the kind of experience the CQ World Wide DX Contest delivers.