The introduction of the XTREME category by the organizers of the CQWW Contest is an innovative move that allows amateur radio operators to use contest technologies that are prohibited in other contests. Their contribution to the results—especially when using a network of SDR receivers over the Internet or state-of-the-art voice recognition software—can be significant.
From this perspective, the OM0A station is relatively simple. The OM0A remote station is based on a HamRadio Deluxe server, utilizing hardware and software add-ons such as antenna switching, antenna rotation, and measurement tools. The concept is focused on simplicity and reliability. But how will it fare against the competition in the CQWW? The answer came last weekend.
The contest begins at 2:00 a.m. Central European Time. I start calling on 80 meters. Strangely, there isn’t extreme interference on the band, and occasionally even a “big gun” calls. After an hour, I have over a hundred contacts in my log, so I decide to check out the top band. It’s easy to make contact; the new antenna works well, except for the matching. At 1840 kHz, the SWR is over 4:1… the tuning is set higher because, with 300–350 W of power, I didn’t expect this to be my “segment.” I switch bands and scan whatever’s there at the moment, then move on to 40m.
It’s an important band where my vertical antenna performs well. But a problem arises—when transmitting above 7100 kHz, LAN RFI appears, causing the remote station’s response delay to increase severalfold. It’s annoying because I lose audio for a moment, so I prefer to go back to the lower bands. I’m still trying 40m, though—it works, but I have to modulate lightly. It makes calling more difficult, but there’s no other way.
A73A QSL
I’m waiting for the first U.S. station on 80m—I can hear a few of them, but I can’t make contact. It’s easier on 40m. I’m switching bands to keep up the rate, occasionally sending a call on 160m and keeping an eye out to see if the upper bands start opening. Sure enough, I log my first contact on 15m with EX2To at 04:25 UT and then switch to 20m, where conditions are already pretty good. Occasionally, I hop over to 40m for a multiplier. Before long, I’m also picking up signals on 10 meters. The first entry in my log on this band is A73A at 05:20 UT, followed immediately by PY2YU on a long-distance connection on the first call! Spots are coming in, but the signals are still weak, so I’m collecting contacts on the lower bands.
5H3EE QSL
An hour later, I’m back on 10 meters, which is good, because I log ZM4T, followed by 5H3EE. Both on the first call. My adrenaline is already telling me this is going to be something special. Just stay calm—quickly make 3-point contacts on the other bands: JA and UA9 on 15m, K/W on 40m. And then it begins—a wonderful string of JA stations on 10 meters, spiced up with KH7X, JT5DX, D2QV, 8Q7DV, and XV1X! The Japanese are known not only for their discipline in pileups but also for their keen ears, but that they’d be so easy to work—amazing!
I’m also keeping an eye on other bands, so I occasionally switch over to 15m and 20m. After eleven hours, I have five hundred contacts in the log. There are no more JA stations on 10m, but very soon the first W/VE super-stations appear on 20m: W3LPL, NN3W, VE3EJ, CF3A, VE2IM, W4RM,…
Even with a lower rate, I prefer to collect multipliers and more valuable contacts. I know that even if there were excellent conditions on the upper bands across the Atlantic this afternoon, it’s a difficult direction from here due to the mountains. At 14:57 UT, I finally make contact with K3LR on 10m. The band is stretching to an unusual width; some stations are around 28.8 MHz.
QTH terrain profile
In the early evening, I return to 40m, and since it’s still early, I find a frequency for calling in a trouble-free segment. Most of the contacts are only one-pointers, but things are going well. Fatigue is starting to set in; I’ve been on the bands for nearly eighteen hours, so I take a break to eat and get a quick nap. At 00:24 UT, I’m back, and after a quick check of the band conditions, I start calling on 80m, occasionally switching to 160m and 40m. The 40-meter band has improved a bit; the equipment is working, which lifts my spirits. Will Sunday’s conditions on 10 meters repeat? It looks promising—at 05:04 UT, I’m working VI6NC there, but the 20-meter band is performing more reliably, and I’m managing to work Russian stations from Zones 17 and 18—they don’t seem that attractive, but the point gain is significant.
An Yoshida JM1NKT
K/W stations are also coming in beautifully on 80m and 40m. It was hard to make contact on the first night, but not now. I’m noticing an increase in spots on 10m, so I’m heading over there—the Japanese are here! At 06:39, I log my thousandth contact, JM1NKT on 10m. There’s also 3D2A at a real 59, but there are tons of callers. I’d rather skip him and collect easier contacts.
Due to work obligations, I have to step away a few times this morning, but I try to get back as soon as possible. At 11:17 UT, my points cross the million mark. K/W contacts are coming in nicely on 15m and 20m, but the 10m band isn’t working here. I’m already quite physically exhausted. There’s not much I can do about it; changing my sitting position and moving the PTT switch doesn’t help. So I’d rather leave the transmitter on 20m. Mostly, only Europe is calling.
The break, however, came at just the right time and gave me a little more energy to hunt for PY stations on 10m, and I’m switching bands more frequently again, which still seems like a good way to collect contacts. I take another break with the transmitter at 17:36 UT on 40m. The band is relatively quiet, so it’s strange how many stations are crowding the CW segment. Even before the contest, I made a commitment not to transmit there, even if it meant missing out on contacts.
In the evening, I’m checking out 80m, especially during the time I used to rest on Saturday. I manage to trigger a small pile-up, especially after spots for RA3M and R2AT. Who knows, maybe I neglected the 160-meter band a little, because at 19:15 UT I find a spot for A73A there, whom I work on the first call. I’m racking up another string of contacts, always managing about thirty contacts at a time, whether on 80 m or 40 m. I’m extremely exhausted, so I’m taking ten-minute breaks, but they only help for a short while. At 22:09 UT, my CQWW ends with a contact with ES5G on 80m. My log shows 1,498 contacts and 1,322,450 points.
’s QSO rate in the 2011 CQWW Contest
In addition to my own equipment, I also used one of the online SDR receivers from http://www.websdr.org/ a few times. I used them to check whether my signal was reaching the target area with sufficient strength. If so, I continued calling even if no stations were responding at that moment.
I don’t expect this modest result to be significant on the scale of the CQWW, but it’s the first step on the path to XTREME.
Thank you to all the operators who called or responded to OM0A’s call during the contest, and I look forward to hearing from you in future contests!