2007 CQ WW SSB STRATEGY: INTO THE MEAT GRINDER ON 20

By Jamie Dupree NS3T, radio-sport.net 

"For those who are seriously hoping to improve their scores... there is no substitute for careful planning." - Fred Laun K3ZO

As contesters prep for the 2007 CQ WW SSB contest, the down solar conditions are certainly on the minds of many this year, with less than ideal propagation expected again on 10 and 15 meters.

"It will be interesting to see if (10 and 15) perk up any," said Ken Claerbout K4ZW, who finished second in the US in SOAB HP last year. "That means 20 meters will be a wall to wall meat grinder."

"I guess it also means that if 10 and 15 open, you need to be paying attention so you don't miss multipliers," added Claerbout, emphasizing the advantage of having a second radio.

That balance of mults and contacts becomes even more important now that openings on 10 and 15 are few and far between.

"This is a very interesting thing," says Toni Linden OH2UA, who will try for another high finish as CU2A in the Azores.

"The high bands are so marginal at this point in the cycle that you have to....try to make the right decision to run more QSO's on 20 meters or work 15 and 10 with lower rate but most likely better multipliers incoming at the same time."

"I think 10 and 15 will be in very bad shape this year," said Braco Memic OE1EMS, who piloted OE4A to a 7th place finish in the world in single operator high power.

"In that case, the number of multipliers worked on 10 and 15 meters can decide who is going to win!" said Memic, who recommends being very aggressive on the high bands.

"To maximize mults, move every mult you can," says the Austrian. "20 meters will be hard work this year."

"20 meters will really be the main band for me," says Vladimir Askenov RW1AC. "I hope to make about 800-1,000 QSO's with the USA, 200 JA and 1,000 EU." Askenov's goal is 110 countries on 20 meters and 30-35 zones, a tall order.

For some ops, the down solar times mean doing things a bit differently during the contest to hunt down those extra mults and CQ zones.

"I'm going to work a couple unusual paths a little harder this year," says Richard DiDonna NN3W, who says frankly about propagation "it's not going to be good."

"I expect 40 to go long early; I expect 75 to be really good, and quite interesting given the frequency allocations that are now available. I expect 20 to be an unmitigated disaster area," said DiDonna.

"20 meters is tough this part of the cycle," says Randy Thompson K5ZD. "All you can do is find a frequency and listen hard through the QRM."

"I expect 15 meters to open a bit. Don't expect anything but deep North/South on 10 meters."

Some of that "deep North/South" will certainly include Argentina. "We consider 20 meters as a low band from LU due to the long way to North America and Europe," says Lucas Maiorov LU1FAM, who piloted LT1F to 8th place in the World in 2006.

"Most of the time I go to the bottom of (20) to look for a clear frequency to call CQ or just S&P to get good mults," said Maiorov.

That's obvious from Mariov's numbers in 2006, where over 60% of his 4,486 contacts were on 10 and 15 meters.

"This year conditions seem to be very bad, but hopefully we will have good openings to NA and EU, said Mairov. "We managed to work 400 QSO's during IARU this year which is a good sign."

"15 meters is a good question," says Philippe Lutty LX2A/LX7I. "In the WAE it opened to North America for a few hours."

Sharing that view on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean is Jeff Briggs K1ZM, who will again be at his VY2ZM location.

"15 meters should open to Europe, but the openings will be SHORT," says Briggs. "I think 10 meters will be marginal again this year - Africa and South America for sure - some South Pacific maybe for us up North and maybe some Southern Europe as well for those in the lower W3 and W4 callsign regions - probably on backscatter over Africa."

Some ops admit they could use a little Divine Intervention over CQWW SSB weekend to get the high bands crackling.

"I only need a four hour opening and that's all," says Ted Jimenez HI3TEJ, who will again be operating as SOAB LP as HI3T.

"My strategy this time will be 1) operate 45 hours; 2) Work as many 3 point stations as I can; 3) EWE receive antenna for low bands.

"And the best and most important thing, praying to God and waiting for miracle propagation during the contest."