VK5PAS

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2021 CQ Worldwide WPX Contest

Posted: 29 Mar 2021 04:22 AM PDT
https://vk5pas.org/2021/03/29/2021-c...e-wpx-contest/



The weekend just gone (Saturday 27th March & Sunday 28th March 2021) was
the 2021 CQ Worldwide WPX Contest. The WPX Contest is based on an award
offered by CQ Magazine for working all prefixes. The SSB part of the
contest is held on the last weekend of March each year, while the CW part
is held in May. This is one of the biggest contests on the amateur radio
contest calendar and attracts thousands of entries from around the world.








I took part in the contest entering into the Single Op All band Tri
band/wire category. I spent most of my time hunting across the bands
looking for new countries.




I ended up logging a total of 355 QSOs on 10, 15, 20, & 40m SSB. I worked
a total of 65 DXCC entities as follows:-



AlaskaAsiatic
RussiaAustraliaAustriaBahamasBelarusBelgiumBolivia BonaireBosnia-HerzegovinaBulgariaCanadaCayman
IslandsChileChinaCroatiaCzech RepublicDenmarkEnglandEstoniaEuropean
RussiaGermanyFinlandFranceGeorgiaGuamHong
KongHungaryIndiaIndonesiaIrelandItalyJapanLatviaLi thuaniaMartiniqueNetherlandsNew
CaledoniaNew
ZealandNorwayPanamaPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQa tarKoreaRomaniaSamoaScotlandSerbiaSingaporeSlovak
RepublicSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTaiwanThaila ndTurkeyUkraineUnited
States of AmericaVirgin IslandsWest Malaysia




The world map below shows my contacts during the contest.



Above:- Map showing my contacts around the world during the 2021 CQ WW WPX
Contest. Map courtesy of qsomaps.org




I heard some new DXCC entities for me during the contest, but only managed
two new countries on 40m and that was Martinique (FM5BH) and the Bahamas
(C6AGU). I almost snared the Bahamas on 80m SSB, but my 100 watts just
wasnt quite making it.








There were also the usual special prefixes and rather rare DXCC entities.
Also a couple of unusual calls. The first being D1DX in the Donetsk
Peoples Republic. The second being Z61DX in the Republic of Kosovo.
Unfortunately I could not break through the European pile up to log these
two stations (I have worked Z61DX previously).








There were some very nice openings into Europe on 15m and 20m on both
Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings. Sunday long path and Sunday
short path into Europe were exceptionally busy. I did not call CQ as it
was almost impossible to find a clear frequency, such was the busy nature
of the 20m band with the European stations. I also found that getting
through to many of the European stations was quite difficult because of QRM
they were experiencing.



Above:- Map showing my contacts in Europe during the contest. Map c/o
qsomaps.org




The 15m band proved best for contacts to Japan and south-east Asia.



Above:- Map showing my contacts to Japan and SE Asia during the contest.
Map c/o qsomaps.org




Some of the more interesting contacts during the contest were as follows:-



OG73XOG66X8N0J Joetsu-city Municipal 50th Anniversary.8J17CALL 30th
anniversary special event call for the Japanese 7 call issuance.ZF5T
Cayman IslandsC6AGU BahamasFM5BH MartiniquePJ4DX BonaireOH100SRAL
special event call for the centennary of the Finish Amateur Radio
LeagueLY31A special call for the independence of Lithuania from the Soviet
UnionOM77PA special call to tribute SK OM3PACP5HK BoliviaOA4SS
PeruCE7VPQ Chile.








Thank you to everyone who called me during the contest.