There are relatively few daredevils, who in the world radio amateur contests as it is CQ WPX SSB Contest SSB dare for some lower shortwave band. The difference between 5W and 1kW is 23 dB, which is a lot (almost 4 S). So why voluntarily put yourself in such a category? Because it's hard!
After CQ WPX SSB Contest in year 2021, which I completed in the 40m band and subsequently also CQ WW DX SSB Contest in the same year in the 80m band with QRP performance, I chose the 80m band for the WPX contest this year. QRP.
These world contests mostly create their own conditions of propagation. But the magnetometer before the WPX contest this time showed significant fluctuations and the aurora borealis also appeared, Aurora. These manifestations are usually referred to as a blackout among the lay public. Yes, it is not excluded, but even on a smaller scale it has a significant effect on the propagation of radio signals.
However, nothing can be done about it. All stations will have to deal with it. I decided not to waste my energy the first night and just get up in the morning. That's what happens. But the band is half-empty and, moreover, after a few dozen connections, it suddenly closes without it, to register some rarer stations as soon as possible. There are some noises and crackles above the normal level in the audio.
Additional connections start to be added to the diary only in the early evening, but it's still very difficult. It is not complicated to find a free frequency for giving a call. He comes to one such SQ3M and after the connection sends the spot to the DX cluster. This usually means the arrival of a pile-up. I got such DX spots on Sunday from LY7M, DK6SP, OM1APT a DK7R. They brought in some callers, but they did not create any big pile-up.
I stayed collecting connections late into the night and took a break for four hours. However, early Sunday also does not bring a significant improvement in the propagation conditions. They manifest themselves like this, that signals from the largest stations in North America are detectable. There were indeed a few weaker signals, but very much, very difficult to understand. With QRP power, there was no time to waste trying to connect. There is approx. in the diary before the next break 170 connections and 50,000 points.
So there was a chance to do something about it only in the last hours of the CQ WPX SSB Contest. And it was really known, that the conditions of propagation have improved. Not significantly though, but still. From lousy to below average. But the remaining time did not let go, so it was necessary to collect connection after connection. It's at the end 242 QSOs and just over 92,000 points. Congratulations to Milan OK1IF (OL4W), who won a little over 128,000 points in these difficult conditions. A really great result!
Contest setup without change, therefore Yaesu FT-1000MP with SDR on intermediate frequency, inverted Vee antenna on RDM-12 mast. I also recorded signals from the CQ WPX SSB contest, which you can listen to here.
Thanks to everyone in the log for listening to my QRP signal and I look forward to hearing from you!
