Observance of established band plans is strongly encouraged. OBJECTIVE: For amateurs around the world to contact as many other amateurs in as many CQ zones and countries as possible. Congratulations to our friends from SP8R for their contest effort.I. Next time we will try to be more effective. We are analysing the log, the problems, the setup etc. This time we lost (again) so we must do better next time. On our Polish arena we compete with the SP4R Contest Team. We also have many conclusions – what we should change in the future.

Besides contesting it is always great to spend time with real friends, in a good atmosphere. We also had a problem with 10 meters – the dedicated PA failed and we could work only low power (100W from the transceiver) on this band. We lost about an hour trying to solve the problem each time it happened. Sometimes we had a problem with PTT in the 20 meters PA. There were some minor problems during the contest. Here is the claimed score: Band QSOs Zones Countries The station was ready on time and we started the contest. Some last works were done on the towers etc. On Friday the whole team (F5SDD, SP4MPG, SP5OXJ, SP5UAF, SQ4NR, SQ6MS) was at the station ready to work. Just to make the contesting more comfortable, to have better access to all switches etc. We also did some changes in the layout of the operating positions. Now we have separate antennas for both low bands. In the former setup it was one system: so you could work 160 meters or 80 meters but not both bands in the same time.

The big change at the station is also the low bands antenna setup. Together with Mirek SP4MPG they made a huge work preparing RX antennas (8-circle vertical arrays for 160m and 80m). Maciek SQ6MS/F4VSQ and David F5SDD came to the QTH of SO4M on Tuesday before the contest. Mirek SP4MPG made a lot of work with the antennas, wires, testing etc. The main target was to prepare the effective in-band setup. In the meantime Maciek SQ6MS/F4VSQ was designing and preparing boxes for the automatization of the station. In the first half of November Mirek SP4MPG and Greg SQ4NR worked hard to change guy wires of the tower holding the 15 meters stacked Yagis. There were many modifications and changes in the setup of the station last months. Of course preparations to the contest started much earlier.

At the end of November we met again at SO4M to participate in the CQ WW DX CW Contest.

Cqww dx rtty contest