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2009 CQ WW CW Contest - Low Power & QRP Titles Up For Grabs AS V26K Looks For New Streak

By Jamie Dupree NS3T  radio-sport.net 
Posted November 23, 2009

Like the battle for supremacy in the Single Operator High Power category, the Low Power title also won't have a repeat champion this year in the CQ WW CW Contest, which could make the Joseph "Bud" Trench AA3B/V26K the low power favorite once more.

"I will miss this year," said 2008 LP Champ Scott Redd K0DQ, who operated P40Q to a win, but said a "40th wedding anniversary takes precedence over just about everything!"

Last year Redd snapped the LP winning streak of Trench AA3B, who operated V26K to a second place finish in 2008, after winning the world title three straight years.

"I am shooting for 6000 QSO's and 8.4 million points," Trench told radio-sport.net before leaving for Antigua for another low power bid. "I don't know if this will win, but I am planning to have a good time!"

Trench may face another strong competitor in John Crovelli W2GD, who will be at his P40W contest outpost in Aruba.

"LP isn't my first choice," Crovelli told radio-sport.net, "but given the large amount of replacement cables and other hardward I need to transport with me, there simply isn't sufficient weight allowance for the amp this time."

A year ago at this time, Crovelli was making the same noise about running low power, but ended up in the High Power category instead, as he finished 7th in the world.

"The low bands will be very important," said Crovelli. "A good 40M showing is essential, and lets hope 80 and 160 are better than during WW PH."

"There seems to be plenty of competition in both HP and LP per NG3K ... as always it will be challenge."

One of those making a trip is Eric Hall K9GY, who will be at the YN2N QTH in Nicaragua, in Zone 7.

"Tough to win from a two point North American QTH (vs 3 point Aruba)," Hall told radio-sport.net, but the trips are always fun anyways."

"If I make the Top 10 SOAB-LP, then I will consider it a great success."

The CQ WW CW Contest runs 48 hours from 0000z November 28 to 2400z November 29.

Toughing It Out In LP with Scott Redd K0DQ

While he won't be on the air this year to defend his SOAB-LP title, Scott Redd K0DQ gave radio-sport.net a little insight into the way he approaches a contest, the basics of which can be used by anyone who wants to maximize their score.

Over the years my contesting philosophy has aligned with my leadership philosophy in one important sense:

Play to your strengths, cover your weaknesses, and never give up.

Thirty years ago I was operating CQWW CW from W3GRF SOABHP. Conditions, to use a technical term, stunk! After 24 hours of banging my head against the wall I just decided to quit. Turns out, I would easily have made top three - and maybe won the US - if I’d stuck with it.

I vowed never to quit early again.

More generally, each station and location has different strengths and everyone has different propagation at different times. Last year, operating SOABLP as P40Q in Aruba, I knew I was weak on the low bands.

It would have been easy to get discouraged when I heard other Caribbean stations (including my perceived competition) running Europe on 160 when I was having trouble even S&Ping there.

But I knew I had a good signal on 40, so I focused on running there. Later on propagation improved a bit and I was able slowly to eke out 30 countries on 160 using the second radio as well as a decent total on 80.

The result was good enough for a win, the final peg in my personal grand slam of major contest SOAB world championships.

Bottom line: Persevere. Follow the rate. Or, in navalese, “Don’t give up the ship."

Scott Redd K0DQ is a retired U.S. Navy Admiral, who ended his career as the head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. He was inducted into the CQ Magazine Hall of Fame in 2008.

2008 CQ WW DX SSB Winners

3V8BB (YT1AD) - SOAB HP

P40Q (K0DQ) - SOAB LP

TI5N - SOAB QRP

5B4AII (RW3QC) - SO Assisted

PJ4A - Multi-Single

D4C - Multi-Two

HC8N - Multi-Multi

Don't Forget About Last Year's Logs

The list of CW logs from the 2008 CQ WW CW test can be seen at http://www.cqww.com/cq-ww-cw-2008-logs/

The list of SSB logs from the 2007 CQ WW CW contest can be found at http://www.cqww.com/cwlogs.htm

You can link below to the Top Ten SOAB HP finishers from last year, along with rate sheets produced by radio-sport.net.