As we come upon the 2024 CQ WPX (Weird Prefix) contest, I am found reflecting fondly over
the myriad of WPX Ssb events I have been a part of during the last 13+ years. Four years
ago, I wrote a pair of "Blasts from the Past" Blogs on WPX, NoT to mention, individual WPX
Blog comments before that. ([CLICK HERE] to see some of these.)
Because I am often "recruited" to run the 2am to 6am radiosport operating shift @NX6T, running
on 40 & 75 meters, I frequently encounter Billy-Bob, his brother Barney and their cousin Bozo just
as they are brewing up their morning coffee and firing up on their daily ragchew frequency, which
just happens to have been NX6T's run frequency for the last 2-hours.
When I politely remind them that the frequency is in use, Billy-Bob BARKs back
"We've been on this Frequency every morning for over 10 years now, and
YOU should KNOW THAT. (Ed. and HoW would he know that?)
Already licensed amateurs may be accustomed to casual ragchewing or even traffic net procedure, however when they listen in on something as seemingly frantic sounding as a WPX run frequency,
they are often taken by surprise - they'll say something like "I could NEVER do that". I've lost count
When you type in a callsign, programs like N1MM+ will immediately display that station's country
Happening amidst a reasonably high Solar Flux Index, the 2024 WPX Ssb and Cw events are loaded with potential. If the turnout for the WPX RTTY contest last month is any indication, the Ssb (and later Cw) GiGs should FILL the HF bands with an ENORMOUS amount of radiosport activity - whether Billy-Bob and Barney like it or NoT.
When I politely remind them that the frequency is in use, Billy-Bob BARKs back
"We've been on this Frequency every morning for over 10 years now, and
YOU should KNOW THAT. (Ed. and HoW would he know that?)
Therefore, the question is, if we're running 1.5kw of power and much of the spectrum is already
wall-to-wall Ragchewers, Dx stations, and yes, contesters, should I PLOW-thru, continuing to
RUN the Frequency ignoring these IDIOTS, or succumb to a bunch of BULLIES, find another
"Clear" frequency and start over? YOU TELL ME?!!
While I enjoy a good ragchew now and then (LooK for me with K3MAH and NK6Y @10:30pm
every Monday, Thursday and Saturday on 3.853 Mhz), radiosport events keep me emergency communication prepared. I have often said that Field Day, State QSO Parties and the November Sweepstakes Ssb contest are often people's first exposure to amateur radio as an emergency preparedness training exercise. Then, when they sit down behind behind the microphone
every Monday, Thursday and Saturday on 3.853 Mhz), radiosport events keep me emergency communication prepared. I have often said that Field Day, State QSO Parties and the November Sweepstakes Ssb contest are often people's first exposure to amateur radio as an emergency preparedness training exercise. Then, when they sit down behind behind the microphone
and find their voice - something Magical happens.
Already licensed amateurs may be accustomed to casual ragchewing or even traffic net procedure, however when they listen in on something as seemingly frantic sounding as a WPX run frequency,
they are often taken by surprise - they'll say something like "I could NEVER do that". I've lost count
of how many of today's top-notch contest operators used to think that.
Being a WEIRD Prefix Contest, whether you Run a RUN frequency or just listen-in, you will gain
an operational ability to recognize the myriad of different callsign prefixes from around the world. While you might not be up to operating the WPX contest, have you considered taking a SWL approach? Download and install a contest logging program; my favorite is N1MM+ which is
FREE and (amongst other things) allows declaring MACROS for all 12 Function Keys.
FREE and (amongst other things) allows declaring MACROS for all 12 Function Keys.
Create a contest LoG entry in the software for the WPX Ssb contest. You can either click on
the TeLNeT-fed Bandmap spots, or you can tune around the bands manually looking for RUN
stations. Finding a run station, listen for the stations they are working. Each station YOU actually
hear, enter their Exchange information into the logging program as if YOU had actually worked them.
After awhile, what began as fumbling data entry will shift into you being fully capable of running
a frequency: even tho you are just listening, you are learning how to enter contact information
into contest logging software. You may discover the urge to ACTUALLY operate the contest.
In that case create a NEW LoG Entry and start over.
When you type in a callsign, programs like N1MM+ will immediately display that station's country
of origin. By the end of the WPX weekend, you will experience a callsign familiarity and appreciation for each country's ITU-assigned block of callsign prefixes.
Many countries and radio clubs around the world issue special callsigns JUST FOR the Ssb
and Cw WPX contests. For the ARRL's 2014 centennial year, stations around the USA signed various variations of W1AW (I was a part of NX6T's operation as W1AW/6 on 15-meters in the
ARRL Dx contest). The ARRL itself was assigned W100AW for their routine operations.
Happening amidst a reasonably high Solar Flux Index, the 2024 WPX Ssb and Cw events are loaded with potential. If the turnout for the WPX RTTY contest last month is any indication, the Ssb (and later Cw) GiGs should FILL the HF bands with an ENORMOUS amount of radiosport activity - whether Billy-Bob and Barney like it or NoT.
Do YOU participate in the CQ WPX events?
Have you ever worked the NX6 (NX6T) or WQ6 (WQ6X) prefixes during WPX GiGs?
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