WQ6X Slips into a Slippery CQ-160 SSB Contest GiG

It has become characteristic for me to write a "Blast from the Past" BLOG entry before a major contest operation;  however I've participated in only 2 CQ-160 SSB GiGs before this year (altho NUMEROUS Cw GiGs).  Nevertheless, it was useful to review what happened and collect a pair
of [just released] certificates from the 2019 CQ-160 contests.

For CQ-160 SSB, the two GiGs I participated in were both written up here in the Contest BLOG. 

You may remember:

• [x] 2019 - NX6T's Fab-Four Fly Forward for CQ-160 Ssb GiG
• [x] 2018 - N6KI & WQ6X run another miraculous CQ 160 contest

N X 6 T  @  S u n r i s e  on  S u n d a y

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A message to N6KI about this weekend resulted in "It's All Yours".

The decision was to run NX6T remotely from W7AYT's QTH using an Elecraft K3/0 and in between running out of stations to work, run as WQ6X with the FT-1000mp in Concord.  Band condx were so POOR in Concord, that outside of two 160 QSOs, I used the equipment there to monitor signal quality from Fallbrook - essentially a MON circuit from 450 miles away.

On both evenings, I began putting QSOs into the log around 02:00z.  Also on both evenings,
the band didn't really open up until after 06:00z; in direct contrast with the 02:00z opening of 160
in last weekend's ARRL Dx Contest.  How are we supposed to work a radiosport contest if the
Space-WX doesn't cooperate?!

Over the years, I have come to get used
to intentional QRM on 40 meters.  In recent months, the 40-meter problem has largely disappeared, making a debut in 20-meter RTTY operations.  For this weekend I found a NEW source of local QRM on 160. 

While it was frustrating to have the N-T-F (National Tuneup Frequency) following me around, thanks to the K3's excellent Auto-Notch facility, I was able to eliminate nearly 90% of it; on my end anyway. 

Whether the Tuneup-IDIOTS were effective at obliterating my signal on the other end,
I guess it will never be known.  Additionally, auto-notch filters all but eliminate the FT8 IDIOTS who don't listen before transmitting.


Another occasional but recurring problem comes from the IDIOTs who work me on my run frequency and then immediately call CQ 0.5-khz from the run frequency; KX4X 0.5-khz below me and K0IDX 0.5-khz above me - HuH?  Wassup with THAT?  Notice they get the 2-point QSO with me FIRST, before calling CQ on their own.

Another QRM problem occurred while running 1842.42 khz for 25 minutes only to have an FT8 signal move RIGHT ON TOP of my OBVIOUSLY LOUD CQ call.  I believe the "rule" is, whoever is FIRST on a given frequency has right to it QRM-free (traffic net frequencies excepted). 

Even WORSE is the IDIOT who came on 1860
(I was running 1860.60 for 30 minutes) complaining to his buddies about the QRM from contesters. 

If he had LISTENED before he transmitted he would've realized that HE was the QRM, not the contesters.

While the QRM'ers were INDEED a pain in the B-i-C, poor Space-WX was really THE problem throughout the weekend. 

When it was all over (at sunrise on Sunday),
a whopping 285 QSOs made it to the log in
14 hours - essentially only 20 QSOs per hour. 
wOw! - Deplorable!

All of this adds up to a rather slippery 160-Ssb contest GiG for this weekend.

Did YOU work the CQ-160 Ssb contest?

Is NX6T in YOUR LoG?