WQ6X Dual-OPs a Solar-SLOGGed NAQP Cw Contest

While NX6KI correctly identified 80-meter operations as a SLOG, for WQ6X,
the ENTIRE 12-hour NAQP Cw radiosport contest was a Slog.  LooKing at the
individual Space-WX forecasts belied what was REALLY happening, virtually
from the 18:00z contest start.  Reviewing past August NAQP Cw events
demonstrates a marked contrast to this year's solar-flare riddled event.

• [X] - (2022)- WQ6X Dual-OP's another NAQP Cw Contest
• [X] - (2021)- WQ6X Creeps thru another NAQP Cw Contest GiG
• [X] - (2020)- WQ6X Reprises another NAQP Cw Dual-Operation
• [X] - (2019)- WQ6X runs another Dual-OP NAQP-Cw Contest affair
• [X] - (2018)- WQ6X DUAL-OPS NAQP CW CONTEST (and other things)
  

Except for last year's Low Power (LP) event 358 QSOs, this year's 300+ QSO QRP operation
was quite amazing by comparison.  Then again, having access to the medium-gun antenna array @KN6NBT's Ramona QTH made all the difference.  Had I run LP, the QSO ToTaL woulda been
close to 500+; to be expected with a 20x power increase.

The real news from
this NAQP event was Friday's solar flare which manifested mid-afternoon
on Saturday during my 2pm to 5pm shift running NX6T remote from Anza.  

Reading 3830Scores soapbox comments, it
was clear that flare effects were experienced all over North America. 

However, East coast operators were able to take refuge on 40 meters, which was 2-hours away from manifesting on the West coast.  

LooKing at the score standings shows the higher scores largely from the East.
While I could see the SPOTs on 40, they were of no use to us in Southern California, leaving
us with no one to work except DUPES of each other.  10-meters never really materialized except
4-QSOs with California and Texas.  Compounding poor propagation was a STUCK rotor for the
15-meter yagi stacks.  Because the beam-width of the array is so narrow, being stuck-pointed
at 60-degrees made it virtually impossible to work KL7 (355-Degrees) or 8P5 (98-Degrees),
much LESS South America.

When it was ALL over, it would seem that WQ6X managed a 1st-place for the SO(A) QRP
category.  I guess this is PRooF once again that JUST showing up can sometimes result
in a win. NX6T managed a 3rd-place overall and a 2nd-place for the S-W Division.

DiD YOU work the NAQP Cw contest?

Is WQ6X or NX6T in YOUR LoG?

NEWSFLASH !!

The November/December issue of the National Contest Journal reports that WQ6X
took a resounding 1st-place in the QRP Assisted category for the 2023 NAQP Cw contest. 
I knew I submitted a Top-5 score - I was stunned to discover it to be #1 in ANY QRP category.