CQ WW CW Recap

What a wild weekend that was. Overall I am pleased with my result though I know I could have done better. While my memory is fresh a recap is in order. There are lessons to be learned. Not only for me, but for others as well, even those with better or worse stations.

I will not dwell on my score or my competitive placement. You can visit 3830 to find that. Keep in mind that any comparison must take into account location, category and the difficulty comparing US and Canada scores due to the CQ WW rules. I find it more useful to compare multipliers -- zones and countries -- with those in comparable locations.

Station recap

My new contest station is incomplete, and the gaps showed in how I did. If you ever wondered by 3 db makes a difference, well yes it does. Even 1 db can put several multipliers in your contest log. In several case I am down more than 3 db than where I plan to be, and in comparison to the best single op stations.

160: T-top vertical with 8 x 30 meter radials, suspended by catenary from 40 meters height.
80: Low inverted vee at 19 meters and 3-element vertical yagi fixed northeast. When complete the yagi array will be switchable in 4 directions and omni-directional.
40: Low inverted vee (fan combination with 80 meters) and XM240 up 46 meters.
20/15/10: TH7 at 21 meters, TH6 at 43 meters and Explorer 14 at 32 meters fixed to Europe. I used tri-banders for expediency (already in my stock).

160 meters

I struggled on top band more than I expected, especially since conditions were good and a large amount of DX was heard. Despite being able to hear them my 100 watts wasn't good enough. I had more luck the second night when signals were slightly stronger and I recovered some ground. For general DXing my antenna works very well and I can often win in pile up over those with more power and less antenna. This weekend it simply didn't make the grade.

After importing my contest log into my general logging software I was pleased to discover I had at passed 100 countries on 160 meters. It took almost exactly 12 months, dating from when I put up the 160 meter antenna, the first full size antenna I've ever had for top band.

80 meters

Similar to 160 my first night on 80 meters was dreadful. The band was filled with DX but few could copy me. Again, the second night was far better when I had no trouble running to Europe both before and after their sunrise. Even so my multiplier count is poor. Lots of what should be easy shots were heard, but they did not hear me.

Much of the trouble will go away once the 80 meter array switching system is built since the inverted vee did not do well, yet it was all I had for directions other than northeast.

40 meters

This is one of the two money bands (the other is 20) when the sunspots don't come out to play. Doing well on 40 meters is critical to a competitive score. But the competition and QRM are fierce. You need a signal that will not only stand out above others but also allow you to successfully run. I am not truly there yet but I am certainly getting closer.

The first night was difficult. Running was near impossible, especially considering that the European path is already diminishing when the contest starts at 00Z. It was discouraging. The sunrise opening produced fewer multipliers than I hoped for. The next night was significantly better, though running was not as productive as hoped. That all changed with sunrise when several double multipliers (zone and country) came with an over-the-pole opening with good signals. But not all fell to my low power signal. A small 2-element yagi can only do so much even when it is up so high.

My best result was Sunday afternoon. After picking off stations on the high bands I was able to fully move onto 40 meters at 3 PM (2000Z). For the next 90 minutes I had a great run, almost all Europe. Many needed countries, and even zones, came calling.

20 meters

You must do well on 20 to produce a good score. My result was good though not great with respect to DX QSO and multiplier totals. As usual it was the early morning path to Europe that produced the most productive runs. I moved there as soon as the possibilities on the low bands faded after sunrise. With my current antennas I really want to turn the prop pitch rotator to bring the high TH6 to bear on Europe, and that also moves my 40 meter yagi away from multiplier hunting to the north and west. That's a problem that will be solved next year.

I only used the slightly lower Explorer 14 when I needed the TH6 elsewhere since, although good, it does not deliver the same result. Since 15 meters is open to Europe at the same time and the higher antenna is far superior there is no question that 40 meters must be sacrificed. Later in the day I used the lower TH7 for shorter paths, leaving the TH6 to pick off distant multipliers in South America, the Pacific and Asia, and the Explorer 14 to catch any Europeans in the anomalous afternoon opening (late evening in Europe).

15 meters

Only brief runs to Europe were possible since 15 meters was marginal. Mostly I spent my time multiplier hunting, or working US stations when little else was workable. Normally strong signals from South America were not. Some easy multipliers in the Caribbean were missed due to the brief midday window for this fairly short path.

10 meters

This one's easy. I worked nothing. Despite regular checking and some CQing when the band was most likely to open no signals were heard. It appears others in this northerly region had similar luck. I did not ask any locals to move for me. That would be an easy two multipliers: zone 4 and VE.

Problems encountered

The weekend was largely free of equipment problems. The major difficulty was the direction indicators for both rotators: T2X on the 20 meter tower and prop pitch on the 43 meter tower. In part this appears to have been due to moisture getting into the prop pitch pot and into the T2X control cable. The latter has several splices. The prop pitch direction indicator resumed working once the rain stopped and it had a chance to dry.

Better weatherproofing for the prop pitch pot is called for, though not this season. The T2X cable is already slated for replacement, and I may get it done this winter. 

There is some RFI with the computer display when using the TH7 and 80 meter inverted vee on the short tower. They are close to the house. Occasional weak RFI was present when yagis on the big tower were turned west, which is towards the house. This is tolerable now but will be a serious problem when I get an amplifier. I'll have to deal with it sooner rather than later.

Aside from a few software glitches that was it for technical problems. On the personal side I suffered no ill effects from operating over 40 hours (out of 48 possible). I do notice that when I get really tired I have more typos when running. Most were corrected while the keyer was playing provided I typed faster than the other's call sign was being sent. That's a challenge at 32 or 34 wpm!

Strategic options

My strategy was strongly constrained by my power level and antenna capabilities. It was often better to hunt for multipliers on less productive bands than run where I ought to be but could not do well. Sometimes the situation was reversed, when it was better to run, if only to the US, than hunt for multipliers that were not very workable.

Everybody's situation is different, so there is no need to go into particulars beyond the broader strategic choices implied. I will just say that running, when possible, is almost always the best choice. Most contest logging software will calculate and display the number of QSOs that are needed to equal one multiplier. If the number is 5 and you have a good run rate it is usually safe to continue.

But if there's a short opening expected to several needed multipliers it may be better to move and try that for a few minutes. It might be your only chance to work them. Of course if you are SO2R or multi-op you can do both! Indeed for most of us in non-rare areas that is the primary motivation to do SO2R. Secondary objectives are to work stations in general on another band or, for the mutants among us with super-stations, try 2BSIQ (two bands synchronous interleaved QSOs) to concurrently run on two bands.

Regrettably (or not) I am not a mutant and although my station is getting nice and big it will never be a super-station. I am content to aim for run of the mill big gun status and do SO2R. My station is very close to being SO2R compatible, low power CW only for now. I will finish the build mid-winter and then practice. In next year's CQ WW contest I should be able to improve my multiplier count.

Running

Do you truly want to easily and quickly improve your contest scores? You must run, even if you prefer not to do so. Most of the little gun contesters of my acquaintance won't do it. Either they find the prospect intimidating or simply assume that it not possible for a small station. This is never true. A big factor in my two world #1 QRP plaques in CQ WW SSB (and a #2 on CW) were only possible by running. Although that was when we had sunspots and there were excellent opening on 10 and 15 meters where 5 watts can be very effective. If a QRPer can do it so can anyone.

Unless I'm specifically looking for certain multipliers I will try to run. I resort to S & P only when that isn't possible, or late in the contest when I must find those big guns who seem to run all the time leaving no other way to work them. While scouring the bands for stations to work I find a clear frequency I will frequently try a bit of CQing. If nothing happens in a minute or two, or it does but after several minutes the rate is poor I'll resume S & P. Eventually it'll stick, whether due to a change in propagation or my chosen frequency is nice and clear over in the target continent.

Big guns run the majority of the time. You might think multipliers might be missed by doing this, but that would be wrong. Try running you will be surprised by who calls you! Soon you'll understand the value of running even if you're a little gun. To do it well you want to be quick, both in speed and procedure, so that callers you don't answer immediately will stick around rather than fret over time wasted and QSY.

As an example, consider my woes on 160 meters. After having no luck calling numerous DX stations for multipliers I parked low in the band and started CQing, hoping to work a few US stations. Within a few minutes I had several Europeans logged! It just goes to show that many stations who can hear you are S & P, and if you run you can work them.

On CW many callers will not be zero beat and for crowded band conditions where you must use a narrow filter you will have to become good at quickly adjusting the RIT. Logging software such as N1MM Logger that I use have convenient  keyboard shortcuts to control RIT. I then clear the RIT using a macro key after the QSO. It is better that multiple callers not zero beat since it can be near impossible to pick out one call sign. As I said, be quick, so don't shy away from CW speeds over 30 wpm even when you run QRP.

Once you find a good run frequency don't be surprised that you may lose it. Another station in the skip zone might not hear you and will start running on what appears to be a clear frequency if you experience a lull in callers. Unfortunately some big guns are less than ethical in their operating and will deliberately steal your frequency, relying on their superior signal to drown yours. If you're a big gun yourself you'll have to make a judgment call whether to stay and fight or QSY.

Whatever you choose don't become angry and act on emotion rather your rate. I can be better to move. When I operated CQ WW SSB at VE3JM a month ago, where clear frequencies are rare, many times others tried to move in really close and run. They nearly always failed. That's one advantage of running a kilowatt and stacked yagis: you tend to win, and do it by simply continuing to do what you're doing.

The mighty decibel

There an old joke among contesters: would you risk your marriage for 1 db? How about 3 db? Contesters' spouses are not always fans of big towers and antennas. What is it worth to you? Should you take plunge will your score noticably improve when you go from a 4-element to a 5-element yagi, or stack two of them (or three)?

For general operating, perhaps not so much. Contesting is different. As an example, my small tri-bander fixed on Europe up 32 meters shows little difference on the S-meter compared with the larger tri-bander up 43 meters. Yet the higher one consistently delivers more callers when I run. The difference is certainly less than 3 db.

What more often makes the difference is not what you hear but what others hear. In a band crowded with loud, closely-packed signals a few decibels will make your signal stand out above the bedlam. Of course if everyone does this there is no advantage, but not everyone does and so it works. A small absolute increase in received signal strength is not the issue; S9 and S9+2 are both solidly Q5. Consider the mix of all signals being received and the threshold effect of one signal rising up has an outsize improvement on readability.

It's the same if your signal is close to the noise level, especially on 80 and 160. That readability entices callers. That's why a few decibels can greatly improve run rates. The same is true of QRO, but almost all big guns use QRO so antenna gain is where the focus needs to be.

On 40 meters I can get 2 to 3 db with a full size 3-element yagi. That is still in my plans, though perhaps not in 2019. It is slated for the top of my current tall tower at a height of 43 meters (where the TH6 currently resides). But I would like something powerful for the European path. I am eyeing a multi-element wire yagi fixed on Europe that could net me 2 db more than the planned full size yagi. That will be possible once the new tower is up. First I will have to address potential interactions with yagis on the two towers since this one will in between and in line towards the northeast.

I estimate that the mono-band yagis I am planning for 15 and 20 meters will be 2 and 3 db better, respectively, than the TH6. Add another 3 db (approximately) for stacking two of them. That's a huge difference that is well worth the time and expense for those with a passion for contests. I hope to be in that position this time next year.

Completion of the 80 meter vertical yagi is coming along, and that is as far as I'll go through at least 2019. Getting more decibels on 80 will be difficult. I can perhaps gain 1 db by doubling the radials. On 160 I have the possibility of using my big towers as yagi parasitic elements to get some badly needed gain. Again, probably not until after 2019. I am deferring 10 meters two years until we get a few more sunspots.

Operating improvements

I plan to start doing SO2R early in the new year. It will take time become effective. To begin it will be with CW, low power and the second radio for S & P only. By late 2019 I expect to be ready to try QRO on at least the run radio and SSB as well. Thus I will initially focus on boosting my multiplier count rather than total QSOs. The latter will come later once I become proficient.

Antenna, filter and switching automation is in the pipeline. The intent is to facilitate fast band changes to catch those multipliers. I expect to develop my own software and control hardware to suit the unique objectives I have for my station. Commercial solutions are very expensive and from perusing what's available none of it does quite what I want. The potential for experimentation by going my own way is another motivation.

There are features in N1MM Logger and other software that I do not use despite the potential value. Although I like to keep it simple that is not really consistent with improving my effectiveness as an operator of a big gun station. I'll have to push myself to do more. In the same vein I need to script my contests to remind myself where I need to be to run or catch those elusive multipliers. At present I tend to improvise depending on how I feel at the time.

The point of this long dissertation is to show just how much more I can do to improve my result in CQ WW, even though my category placing now is excellent. If done right it will be fun rather than a chore.