CQWW SSB EUROPE: CU2A (OH2UA) AIMS FOR EU #1 REPEAT

By Jamie Dupree NS3T, radio-sport.net 

Even after a 5th place World finish in 2006, Toni Linden OH2UA (CU2A log) says his main goal is not the overall single operator title in 2007, but rather to repeat as the as the European high power champ in the 2007 CQ WW DX SSB Contest.

"It's really hard to compete against non-European stations if you're in Europe yourself," says the Finnish ham. "To be honest, I do not set my goal to beat Caribbean or African stations, but instead my goal is to do as well as possible compared to other Europeans."

Linden did just that last year, knocking out 5,587 contacts from his contest perch in the Azores, and that's where you will find him again this year for the CQWW contests. OH2UA told radio-sport.net the strategy from CU is basic.

"It's easy - run as much North America as possible because NA gives 3 points/QSO and Europe just 1 point/QSO."

Last year's second place finisher in Europe, OE1EMS, won't be making an all out single op run this year, as Braco Memic works on setting up a new contest QTH in Bosnia.

"CU2A is hard to beat but it's not impossible," said Memic, who ran up over 6 million points as OE4A (OE4A log) giving him second place last year in Europe and 7th place in the World.

"I don't know about CU2A but last year I wasn't quite happy with my score," said Memic, who like others was frustrated by lackluster contest propagation.

"In the last six hours of the contest, I made only 330 QSO's, about 55 QSO's/hour."

As for who has the best chance to win the SSB crown in Europe this year, Memic sees a number of challengers.

"I think there will be a big battle between CU2A, ES5TV, 4O3A and T93M who just finished his new contest QTH," said Memic.

"I can theoretically be first in Europe," says one of those challengers, Tonno Vahk ES5TV, but "only when I am lucky with propagation and there are no serious competitors from CT or CU2. Against them, luck does not help as well."

Vahk tallied over 5 million points last year as he finished fifth in Europe (ES5TV log) after a 1st place win in 2005. He spent the past summer making a number of station improvements, which he hopes will mean a higher finish.

"My more realistic target is to be first in our WRTC qualification zone (EU #3, Scandanavia and the Baltics) and among the top five in Europe."

One newcomer to the single op battle in Europe is Vladimir Askenov RW1AC, who usually is a part of multi-op efforts at RU1A (2006 log) but now is looking for extra WRTC qualifying points.

How well can RW1AC do as a single op? "It depends on conditions," says Askenov. "Aurora for us is a main factor."

Askenov also has been doing his homework on what his competition is capable of doing as well.

"I got log files from the CQWW web site for 2006 SSB and analyzed CU2A, ES5TV, S50A and OE4A," Askenov told radio-sport.net

On the northwestern side of Europe, 35-year contest veteran Steve Cole GW4BLE (2006 log) is ready for another run at the top spot as well.

"6th was a poor finish for me (in 2006), but my 'excuse' was a loss of radio on the morning of the 2nd day," said Cole. "First (in Europe) is difficult from here; I don't really have the hardware to match some of my competitors."

"But what I lack in that I strive to make up for with operating ability," says the Welsh amateur. "I've yet to make first place HP from Europe (done it LP), but somewhere in the leader box is always something to aim for."

Not to be left out of the chase in Europe is last year's 4th place in Europe and 10th world Tine Branjak S50A.

"Being in the top ten in CQWW from Europe is very difficult due to many overseas activities by contest DXpeditioners," says Brajnik, who tallied 5.4 million points last year from Slovenia (S50A log.)

Brajnik told radio-sport.net he's not too worried about what kind of conditions he'll face in CQ WW SSB, that he'll just take what the bands give him.

"Strategy is not changed due to lower sunspots, it is just aligned to the circumstances," said Brajnik. "We always hope for the best!"

Cole GW4BLE is also hoping for some good conditions on 10 and 15 meters especially, but "somehow I don’t think that’s really likely to happen just yet. Still, with CQWW, even ‘dead bands’ suddenly come alive!"