WQ6X Runs another QRP IARU GiG

Because it is a mixed-mode radiosport event, I often characterize the IARU HF Championship
as Dx Championship Field Day, due to the often use of tents for the WRTC Championship held every ~4 years.  The years in between can be thought of as practice years.  This year, the Anza station had already been requisitioned, pre-empting any operations as NX6T.

With the Ramona station in good form, it was available for WQ6X to run a mixed-mode QRP operation remotely from the bay area.  (2 years ago, WQ6X ran a  Cw-only remote operation from Ramona.)  Because the IARU GiG utilizes a fixed format exchange, for Ssb, the decision was to load up the 4 voice keyer memories (allowing voiceless operation) as follows:

1. F1 - "CQ IARU Contest..."
2. F2 - "Five-Nine ZERO-SiX"
3. F3 - "ROGER, ROGer, Roger"
4. F4 - "Whiskey Quebec SiX X-Ray"

As it turns out, only 14 Ssb QSOs actually made it into the log.

Brewing up some Hawaiian coffee at 5:20am, I had the pre-set station configuration on the air @12:46z, opening the contest on 40-meter Cw, before moving to 20-meters @ 13:57z.   When
15-meters opened at 15:05z it brought 45 minutes of fun, before fading into oblivion.  Moving back down to 20-meters, the fun continued until 16:51z.  Then, just as quickly, the band propagation fell apart on 20-meters as well, offering an excuse for another 90 minutes of sleep (the next sleep period would not be for over 18 hours).

A brief 10-meter opening came and went at 19:21z.  The rest of the afternoon was spent
band-jumping between 20m-15m-10m, running a frequency and then S&P'ing for stations that were missed.  I was just as surprised by the stations that called in on my run frequencies as I was with the stations that for whatever reason could not hear my calls (and anyone else as well, much of the time).

At 02:00z the move was made down to
40-meters, mainly to run frequencies and occasionally put an Ssb QSO into the log.  

A brief 80-meter run at 04:00z were the only contacts on that band.  NoT having access
to 160-meters, I have no idea whether the
LUF (Lowest Usable Frequency) made it
down that low.  

From 05:00z to 10:00z it was all about running frequencies on 40-meters.  After 90-minutes sleep, 8 more QSOs made it into the log before the 12:00z contest ending time.

The end result was 308 QSOs (14 on Ssb) over 19-hours of operating time.

While there were geomagnetic storms throughout the IARU GIG, noise conditions became WORSE after the contest event had ended.  It was difficult to fathom that the SFI was between 128 - 138.  Clearly, Solar Cycle 25 is on its downturn.

DiD YOU work the IARU Contest?

Is WQ6X QRP in YOUR LoG?