CQ WW CW 2008: V26K Bidding For Four Straight in Low Power "Shootout" - QRP Wide Open

By Jamie Dupree NS3T  radio-sport.net 
Posted November 21, 2008

While much of the pre-contest focus for this year's CQ WW CW test will be on the High Power category, don't overlook the Low Power battle when it comes to intensity.

The favorite is defending champ Joseph "Bud" Trench AA3B, who will be back at V26K in Zone 8, trying for a fourth straight World LP title.

"Looking at the CQ WW SSB results, it strikes me that conditions this year are likely to be similar to last year," Trench told radio-sport.net.

Last year, Trench found himself scrambling more than usual for mults on his way to victory over HK1AR (RA3CO) as he had to more aggressively S&P for points, especially on the high bands.

This year V26K will have several serious competitors, including two on Aruba, as John Crovelli W2GD/P40W and Scott Redd K0DQ/P40Q will be aiming at the LP title.

"My goal is to win SOAB LP worldwide and thus complete a personal ‘grand slam’ of winning both modes of the three major DX contests," Redd told radio-sport.net.

The now retired senior US intelligence official has a storied contesting career, but has been absent from the active contest ranks for some time.

"Although I've been out of radio for quite a while and haven't followed it closely, I know Bud is a serious competitor with a proven record from V26K," Redd added.

Meanwhile, a dead amp will knock P40W from HP into the LP category, a title that Crovelli won back in 2001.

"The SOAB LP shootout could get very interesting as well with P40Q, P40W, V26K and FY5KE all competing for the brass ring," said Crovelli.

"CQ WW CW has the well deserved reputation of being "The Big One" and this running of the race will be no exception," he added.

For Crovelli, this contest represents a major comeback, as he suffered very serious injuries in June, when he fell during a tower installation project in Maine.

"I still have some cranky leg muscles but the fractures are essentially healed," said Crovelli. "In general I feel pretty good."

As for the US race in CQ WW CW, Art Hambleton K1BX will try to repeat his win from last year, as he faces off again with New England rival Ed Sawyer N1UR.

Last year Sawyer was DX, as he spent CQ WW CW in East Malaysia, where he scored just over 600,000 points as 9M6AAC.

"With low sunspots and low power and marginal antennas, contesting is not as fun from that part of the world," Sawyer told radio-sport.net.

Sawyer narrowly edged Hambleton in claimed scores for the US lead in CQ WW SSB this year. We'll see if he can repeat that in CW.

In Europe, the Low Power title could be in line for a new winner, as 2007 title holder Filipe Lopes CT1ILT (4th in the world) will either not be on the air at all, or running SOAB HP.

"I know I can't compare my station to the big Europe guns like 4O3A, 9A1P, M6T and CU2A but I think I can make it top 10," said Lopes.

"SO2R will be very important on this one, so I will focus a lot on the second radio," Lopes added.

As for the QRP category, last year's champ Paul Young K1XM, who triumphed from 6V7D in Senegal is moving on to the Multi-op category this year, leaving the top spot open.

You will hear Young instead from St. Martin in Zone 8 as Team TO4X.