CQ WW SSB 2008. Private view.
CQ WW DX SSB 2008 as all the other contests was full of intrigues.
I would like to take up the points which are the most interesting to me.
I will use scores published at 3830.
Some contesters does not submit their scores with 3830 now, explaining that others, having seen the result, may add unexisting Q's to their logs.
I think it brings more questions than excuses.
"They have to keep something back if don't publish their score" - is the most widespread opinion.
Anyway these people should bear in mind that nowadays results published on the web will more likely stay in memories for a long time.
Many entrants while preparing to the particular contest take an information from 3830 charts. Of course if you don't want that someone know about your victory in years - do not submit anything with 3830.
Probably it's worth to publish claimed scores just after mailing deadline date.
WPX Contest Organizers do already publish the list of received logs along with claimed scores and categories.
Many of you should remember that CQ Magazine have been publishing the High Claimed Scores tables.
Organizers do open logs now but forgot such a small thing like High Claimed Scores. Is there any intention here?
Well, let's move to the Contest...
It's been a couple of plots.
Multy operator.
It was quite interesting how D4C, who threw a call before the Contest inviting more operators, would do.
Seems like it has been not so many responded as D4C had to enter M/S.
They had no one to compete with. Conditions definately were favourable to Cabo Verde! Their achievement can only be compared to AO8A entered M2.
Call: AO8A
Operator(s): EA8AH, EA8CAC, EA8ZS, ES2RR, ES5RW, OH1MA, OH2JA, OH3RB, OH5XT
Station: EA8AH
Class: M/2 HP
QTH: MontaA±a de Guia
Operating Time (hrs): 48
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
-------------------------------
160: 308 16 67
80: 1654 26 107
40: 1856 31 118
20: 3349 40 147
15: 3310 38 149
10: 75 15 43
-------------------------------
Total: 10552 166 631 Total Score = 24,969,213
Call: D4C
Operator(s): I4UFH, I4YSS, IZ4DPV, CT1ESV
Station: D4C
Class: M/S HP
QTH: MonteVerde
Operating Time (hrs): 48
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 217 19 85
80: 1131 29 111
40: 1101 35 121
20: 2095 37 145
15: 3299 36 154
10: 442 21 93
------------------------------
Total: 8285 177 709 Total Score = 21,738,010
Comparison is not in favour of AO8A, because if D4C were in M2 category also they would win.
But D4C could do better on 10, much better on 15 and still have a very high potential on 160.
Looks like they were really missing Alberto IV3TAN, although Mighty Fabio, I4UFH, did his very best!
Fabio I4UFH working hard CQ WW SSB 2003 D44TD SOAB Assisted
Having listened to D4C recordings once more I got convinced that the potential of this team is very high and the final result could have been much better. They only need to avoid some elementary mistakes.
Many thanks to RA3CQ for audio recordings.
P33W have achieved a good score too, finished only 300 Q's behind D4C.
SOAB category.
The most of intrigues were here as usually.
Would 8P5A win CQ WW SSB 2008 like he did in previous years? What Richard, N6KT, would do from his base at Galapagos Islands (he was not active for several years due to some home problems)?
Quite an interesting opposition was expected in Russia. All the calls are well known: RG3K, RL3A, RM3F, RW1AC and UA9BA, having changed his entry category at the last minute (and it was a right decision to my mind). Willy made his debut from European Russia as RZ3AXX from RD3A station.
Well, what's in the end?
It was not advantage of the QTH that 8P5A won in previous years, but worse operating skills of his opponents.
Richard's, HC8A (N6KT), Highest Score was expected, but to be honest I have expected a bit higher figures.
A great surprise for many was the result of Tony, CU2X (OH2UA):
Call: CU2X
Operator(s): OH2UA
Station: CU2X
Class: SOAB HP
QTH:
Operating Time (hrs): 48
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
160: 273 16 60
80: 767 24 95
40: 1368 28 102
20: 2532 32 118
15: 3035 33 124
10: 39 8 19
------------------------------
Total: 8014 141 518 Total Score = 11,421,129
Look at this SOAB score - quite evident that D4C and AO8A did not utilize their huge potentials completely, as I mentioned above.
Nice scores of ES5TV and SV9CVY gave us a competition between North and South Europe.
Giya, 4L4WW/4L0A have finished with unexpectedly low result. It must have been higher. I know that he was very much disappointed himself, but he has a lot of plans thus the scores will grow.
Russia.
To tell you the truth I had no doubt as to Willy would win, I thought of even greater gap.
I would say that by the manner of operation only RA3AUU can conquer Willy in CQ WW SSB from European Russia. But I heard that Igor is not willing to enter 48 hours contests, hope these are rumours only.
Willy's potential, operating this station is very high and in case of some technical improvements it may increase dozens of percent.
It's a pity that EuRus Score Table will be incomplete because RW1AC and RL3A (RV3BA) are not in the List of Logs Received.
Willy was using rather "hard" callsign of RZ3AXX, he worked "at sight" having no much time before the contest, but I think that he broke the myth that good scores are unavailable from European Russia.
Just look:
HC8A(N6KT) 7537 161 523 47 14,935,140 NCCC
CU2X(OH2UA) 8014 141 518 48 11,421,129
8P5A(W2SC) 7122 138 479 47 10,778,990 NCCC
HK3RA(RA3CO) 4369 130 427 41.7 7,110,662
ES5TV 5626 162 556 48 7,106,764 Tartu Contest Team
SV9CVY(DL6FBL) 6687 125 506 48 6,982,015 BCC
VE3EJ 4284 139 477 42 6,813,576 CCO
M6T(G4PIQ) 4787 137 474 43 6,255,418
6W1RY(F5VHJ) 4177 97 381 42 5,899,476
4L0A(4L4WW) 4273 102 378 45 5,802,240
RZ3AXX(UA9BA) 4751 143 463 46.5 5,704,884 Ural Contest Group
Isn't it a worthy result, by number of Q's and multipliers?
Well, above Score Table may change when the final results are published. I heard of many compaints sent to CQ WW Committe.
SOSB.
W7EJ (CN2R) have clearly shown that Alberto's (IV3TAN) record is unattainable for him and it wounded his vanity.
To me it was quite expected. More interesting was the opposition of OH2BH (CN2B) vs. N5TJ (VP2E).
Jeff finished the first with 5200 Q's and an excellent multiplier. It's not the record. We remember nearly 7000 Q's of Richard, N6KT, from HC8A. But we must keep in mind that the Sun Activity is in minimum and VP2 is not ZD8 or HC8.
There are many talks about how one can make such a number of QSO's?
I think the answer is evident. The most important is to receive complete callsign preferably at first attempt.
Just listen to D4C's audio recording and imagine operator receiving in such a manner, how do you think his rate would increase and would he need to gabble?
73 Al 4L5A