WQ6X Runs best IOTA Contest EVER

The RSGB IOTA (Islands On The Air) is a fun GiG.  Running a mere 2 weeks after the IARU Championship, it is another variation on a DX contest.  Officially, I've only played around in the IOTA contest twice: a miserably horrible 15 meter attempt in 2012 and a more organized event in 2017 ([CLICK HERE] to read about that one).  The MAIN Goal for my operation this year was simply

to achieve Personal Best - I.e. do significantly better than the 2017 event.

 

Being a European-based contest event, they always seem to start at 12:00z; which is 5am on the Pacific West Coast.  This year, I couldn't roll out of bed until 14:00z, with the 1st QSO making it to the log at 14:27; luckily, 40 meters was still open to Asia.  11 QSOs made it to the log before it was time to head over to the Alameda Hospital for the monthly meeting of the Amateur Radio Club of Alameda (ARCA) where I shared in giving a presentation to the group on last month's Field Day exercise from the Aeolian Yacht harbor in Alameda.  ([CLICK HERE] to read the 1st of the 4 part Blog series about this event.)

The IOTA Contest is unique in that we can work any station anywhere; however, if they happen to
be on an island, the QSO is worth 15-points, instead of the usual 2-points for non-Island stations. 
The East Coast and West Coast have unique advantages. 

Because countries like England and Northern Ireland are considered islands, E. Coast stations
have easier access to 15-point QSOs from that area of the world.  They also have considerably easier access to the N. Africa islands and the many islands in the Mediterranean.  Because Japan is majorly 3 islands (along with a bunch of little ones, like Okinawa) West Coasters have easier access to them; and of course Australia (VK) and New Zealand (ZL) are considered islands - both just a "skip across the pond".

N X 6 T  @ M i d n i t e

As you can see, Asia was WQ6X's 2nd-most worked continent, with Oceania coming in a distant 4th (there are more EU stations than there are stations in OC).  As often happens in this event, there are island stations calling CQ during the weekend that are not in the contest; in 2017, as I recall, V73NS was in that category - frustrating.

For 2019, I was amazed at the relative
increase in EU stations making it to NX6T,
which is geographically located in the DEEP southwest portion of USA.  Then again, having access to a C-31 Yagi for 20 and even 2-elements on 40, made all the difference.  Somehow I missed the 15-meter opening and 10-meters seemed sound asleep up on the hill in Fallbrook. 

At one point the QRN-level on 40 reared-up, forcing me to take refuge on 80-meters.  After only 9 QSOs for a lot of time spent, it became clear that a noisy-40 was more better than a quiet-80 - GO Figure.

Another difference that made quite a difference
was the use of Stereo-Cw to separate different offset signals at different "locations" inside my listening experience. 

The K3's NR-Dsp (when it works) sets things apart.  However, in all honesty, often times the external analog audio filters are WAY MORE effective than Dsp-circuits; no matter who designs them.

Comparing the QSOs/hr versus the MULTs/hr stats demonstrates that multipliers seem to happen more during the "quieter" periods of operation; possibly because out of "desperation" I go S&P'ing looking for them.  Every successful single-OP operation has at it's base successful S&P'ing to complement running frequencies.





My original goal for the 2019 IOTA contest was to significantly outdo the run in 2017.  It would seem that a 3x score increase was made; the fact that this was an HP operation and not LP one probably was a significant factor, followed by the friendly (albeit sleepy) Space-WX forecast.

 

What about YOU?

 

Did YOU play in the Islands on the Air Contest?

 

Is WQ6X in YOUR LoG?