CQ WW SSB 2008: After Big Fall, Quick Recovery For W2GD/P40W

By Jamie Dupree NS3T  radio-sport.net 
Posted October 17, 2008

June 17, 2008 was just another work day for John Crovelli W2GD. He was working on a four-square in Maine, installing a section of tower on a pier pin.

Suddenly, everything changed.

A temporary guy rope stretched too far, and the tower fell over, with Crovelli still attached to it.

"The tower came over in slow motion," Crovelli said a few days after surgery for a broken pelvis. "I saw it all in slow-mo."

Luckily for Crovelli, he landed on some soft ground.

"Takes more than riding down a 40 foot tower to take me out," Crovelli wrote to fellow contesters five days after the accident.

Crovelli's recovery has been nothing short of amazing, as he's already back in action for his tower business, though he won't be back at the controls of his alter ego, P40W in Aruba for the CQ WW SSB test.

"I'm going to stay here in the USA for WW Phone this year, the first time in about a decade," said Crovelli, adding that he has "work commitments I must catch up on after taking the Summer off."

"October is probably my busiest month, so another week away in isn't in the cards."

Crovelli has spent a good chunk of time lately at NR5M in Texas.

"K4ZA and I have been working there a week a month for over a year building one hell of a multi station," said Crovelli.

Asked if he was ready to go 48 hours again, Crovelli left no doubts that he still has game.

"I'm about 90 to 95 percent back to normal. Still have some cranky leg muscles but the fractures are essentially healed. I'm doing lots of walking for therapy. In general I fell pretty good.

"I will go to P40W for WW CW," he made clear.

As for figuring a winner for this year's SSB test, Crovelli likes the feel from Zone 9 in the northern part of South America, as well as Africa, especially during these low sunspot years.

"Northern SA and AF are the places to be with their reaonably dependable North/South skip to the major population areas of the world (NA/EU) which are almost an unbeatable advantage," said Crovelli, though he was quick to note last year's top SSB finishers.

"Notable exceptions: Barbados - W2SC/8P1A has been exceptionally competitive, and last year K1ZM/VY2ZM had a huge score." Crovelli finished third behind them.

While you won't hear P40W on the air in CQ WW SSB, he will be active in an East Coast multi-op, not only looking for a big score, but also for extra qualifying points for the 2010 World Radiosport Team Championships.