CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW (2014)

CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW

Call: NR4M
Operator(s): W0CN NR4M K7SV K4EC N2YO K4GMH KA4RRU K1SE KG3Y K4EU K2WK K1GU
Station: NR4M

Class: M/M HP
QTH: VA
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
------------------------------
  160:  249    16       66
   80: 1126    34      117
   40: 2123    39      147
   20: 1886    39      147
   15: 1833    36      139
   10: 1416    36      131
------------------------------
Total: 8633   202      740  Total Score = 22,978,206

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

The crew at The Goat Farm (NR4M) once again had a great time in the CQWWCW
Contest. While every year it becomes more and more difficult to find operators
available Thanksgiving weekend, we continued in the Multi/Multi category to
give everyone plenty of time in the chair. At Goatville there is always  a
desire to be as competitive as possible, but ensuring that everyone enjoys
themselves is always important.
 
Steve NR4M, Frank K4EC, Chip N2YO and Larry K7SV were at the station for the
weekend. It was great to have Ned K1GU join us for a number of hours on
Saturday and Sunday as part of his Thanksgiving celebration with his son in the
District of Columbia. It was also great to have Walt K2WK back with the gang for
a number of hours Saturday and Sunday. Stalwart Mike K4GMH manned 20 meters in
the late night hours. Mike KA4RRU really helped out by joining  us for the
first 4 or 5 hours of the contest. Dan, W0CN, "Mr Phone contester' came
down and operated with us, showing all that he is, indeed, proficient with CW.
It was a pleasure to have Mr. Moxie (Bill) K1SE again join us Sunday morning.
Steve K4EU padded the log with a great number of Qs on Sunday. Tom KG3Y spent
his inaugural time on the air at the farm helping us finish the contest up
Sunday afternoon. Great contributions were made to the score by all ops.
 
During the summer/fall all of the rotator and antenna switching wiring was
removed from the station and replaced by Green Heron Everywhere rf networking.
A few (mostly self-induced) bugs remained during the  contest, but having the
rotator and antenna switch controls on the computer screen really simplified
things, especially for new ops. It was also nice not to have the nasty haywire.
We missed the first several hours on ten meters Saturday morning because wiring
of it had inadvertently  not been completed.
 
A new approach to second station on a band is being implemented on 40, 20 and
15 meters. The verticals and radials for the 40 meter 4 square were completed
on Tuesday, but foul wx on Wednesday precluded completed completion. We hope to
have all three of them available for ARRL CW DX. Hope to have sufficient ops to
use them as well. Big thanks to Dick W6LWG & wife Mila,  Jeff N4XI, Gary
K4GTF and Skip KS4Q,  all members of the Culpepper Amateur radio Association
and all budding contesters for the help in getting the 40M verticals and
radials in place as well as bringing the top yagi in the 15 meter 3 stack  to
the ground!
 
As has been commented by everyone else, across the spectrum conditions
couldn’t get much better. Top band appeared to be rather punk Friday night,
but Saturday night made up for it. We may not see ten in as good a shape as it
was over the weekend again during this cycle, but fortunately the slope of
sunspot declination on the downward swing is usually shallower than on the
upward swing, so tens certainly in good play for a number of years.  Highlight
for NR4M was being called by 7O2A on 160.  Wound up working him on 5 bands.
Highlight for K7SV was working Fred, K3ZO, operating 80 meters at HS0ZAR.
 
Thanks to everyone for the Qs and last but certainly not least, thanks to Steve
and Carolyn for allowing us to invade their home once again to have so much fun.