For a small segment of the population, the CQWW DX SSB Contest means more than a national holiday. It’s something they look forward to all year long, and when it’s over, they’re sad. This year, the CQWW DX SSB Contest took place on October 24–25, 2009.
Preparations for the OM0A team began in July. The team’s strong results did not go unnoticed, and several interested individuals reached out, wanting to share in the joy of contesting with us. To ensure there was as much room as possible for everyone, we began planning for the multi-multi category. Our equipment preparations were also geared toward this. A few days before the contest, however, a couple of people dropped out for reasons both understandable and puzzling. We had to improvise, which resulted in OM0A’s successful participation in the M/2 category.
Since half a meter of snow had fallen in the Tatras a week and a half before the contest, the installation of the 2-element MOXON on 7 MHz was postponed until later. So for the CQWW, we set up our usual antenna configuration, with Janko OM8LA providing us with substantial help.
Work got into full swing on Thursday afternoon with the participation of Vila OM0AAO, Gaba OM0AAG, Števo OM7KW, and Igor OM6ACI. Mišo OM0AAB also came by to check on us that evening. Since the antennas had already been tested and we’d set them up twice before, the work went smoothly, and by nightfall we had the inverted-L on 160m, the inverted-V on 80m, and the quarter-wave vertical on 40m all set up.
In the evening, we set up both operating stations. However, the IC-756PROIII was communicating with the computer via the Ham Radio Controller very unreliably, so we replaced it with a second Yaesu FT-1000MP. We also upgraded the N1MM software, and it must be said that, aside from a brief Wi-Fi outage on Sunday evening, everything worked perfectly.
Although the weather forecast had predicted strong winds (a Level 2 warning), the meteorologists were wrong this time, and the weather turned out to be quite pleasant. We quickly got both 2-element DK7ZB Yagis—for 20m and 15m—up in the air. Around noon, the aroma of goulash wafted through the air, which Igor OM6ACI had been patiently cooking. Refreshed, we set up a 10-meter vertical on a small mast and strung up a Beverage antenna.
The evening before the contest was pleasant and relaxed. For fun, we held a prediction contest on the number of contacts. Gabo OM0AAG turned out to be the biggest optimist, hi.
Števo OM7KW and Gabo OM0AAG kicked off the CQWW DX SSB Contest. I stuck with them for a while, but since the equipment was working properly, I went back to bed for a bit. Then Igor and I took over for them. The bands were strangely spilling over into the CW segments. We ignored this nuisance, though, and tried to push through wherever we could. The 40-meter band, in particular, is a real test of nerves, so I also checked the 15-meter band in the morning. On the 40-meter band, VK6NC—weak, but workable! Števo had predicted better conditions on this band, but for such things to be happening at a time when the solar cycle just won’t budge from its minimum…
… so I switched to my second operating station. I’m trying the 10-meter band for multipliers. On the vertical dipole, the signal is strong enough to push the S-meter to S5 when I hear VK4MA. I try calling—more out of a sense of humor—with lousy solar flux, low power, and a simple antenna. But he’s in the log right away. It was already becoming clear that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary contest.
The night was weaker. Occasionally, I managed to snag a few contacts. In the morning, however, several bands opened up at once, and I finally managed a pile-up on 40m. The higher bands were also working, so the number of contacts kept growing. In the afternoon, a beautiful string of US stations on 20m.
In the evening, someone polished the sky, and 40m started pouring out UFB DXs: ZL3A, JH4UYB, B1Z, OD5WPX, YE0X,… In just a few minutes, a whole bunch of multipliers were added to the log. But then someone “flipped the switch,” and all the upper bands went dead. No one on 20m, 15m, or 10m. The entire contest community thus shifted to the lower bands, where things started to get crowded again. But we’re good on 80 meters, so the contacts kept coming and coming….
…. the end was soon upon us. The log shows 2,619 QSOs and just over 1.9 million points. Our prediction contest didn’t anticipate such numbers; with the exception of 20m, the result on every band was better than the best prediction. Gabo OM0AAG was thus named the best predictor.
It was a very successful contest. But then again, what CQWW DX Contest hasn’t been? The OM0A team thanks everyone for the wonderful moments and looks forward to hearing from you again at the next contest.