CQ WW SSB 2008 Europe: OH2UA Bids For Four Straight EU Single Op Titles; ES5TV Waits @4O3A

By Jamie Dupree NS3T  radio-sport.net 
Posted October 19, 2009

The view in Europe for the 2009 CQ WW SSB Contest is one of East versus West, Zone 14 versus Zone 15, as Toni Linden OH2UA tries to repeat again as the top European finisher in both the SSB and CW legs of this contest.

"I'll be doing CQWW SSB and CW as SOAB HP," Linden told radio-sport.net, as he will be sporting a new callsign for this year, CR2X, instead of last year's CU2X.

"I'm dreaming of making both CQ and SSB European records in one year, but don't know if this is still the year," Linden said, who has won both legs three straight years.

Standing in the way of Linden are a number of operators, but maybe the one in the best position will be Tonno Vahk ES5TV, who will be on the road, operating from the well appointed station of Ranko Boca 4O3A in Montenegro.

"I am glad to be able to test Ranko’s improved station and it will be very interesting to see what the propagation will be like," said Vahk, who has done well from Estonia in this contest in past years.

"I would like to get into top 3 in EU and maybe, just maybe, if I am very lucky with propagation to challenge Toni from the Azores," Vahk told radio-sport.net.

It will be a battle of hardware between CR2X and 4O3A, as both have had multiple improvements in recent years.

Boca upgraded his setup to include three different 36 meter high towers.

4O3A now has three have different variations of beams for 10, 15, 20 and 40, featuring:

5/5/5/5 stack for 10 meters

6/6 for 15 meters

5/5 and two 3/3 stacks for 20 meters

two 2-element and one 3L 40 beams on 40

The CR2X site also features three different towers, with stacks for 10, 15, 20 and 40, making this an interesting showdown for 2009.

"Not any major changes," this year, said Linden, adding "the station is ready and quite stable."

Linden did much better in 2008 in the SSB leg than the CW leg in terms of score, but the Finnish contester told radio-sport.net that it might have been a case of things going "too well" in the SSB contest.

"I can't really say it was drop off in the CW, it was still EU win and 3rd higest score ever from Europe," Linden said.

While Linden knows the propagation angles from his visits to the Azores, Vahk will have to wing it from 4O3A.

"I have very limited time for preparation and it is little bit of a test run for years of rising sunspot numbers to come," said Vahk.

One of those not in the mix this year in Europe is Andy Cook G4PIQ, who was active in recent years as he qualified for the 2010 WRTC in Russia.

"I'm not going to QRV for WW SSB this year I'm afraid, but it's because of workload rather than just for staying home's sake," Cook told radio-sport.net.

Cook was asked what he would tell operators who don't have the dominating stations of CR2X and 4O3A.

"The only really big tip I can give the smaller guys (especially assuming mostly S&P) is perseverence," Cook said.

"If someone doesn't come back to you quickly - stick them in the band-map / memory and come back to them - conditions and far-end QRM change quickly, try calling everyone you hear - don't assume that 'Y' won't be able to hear you just becasue 'X' was 10dB stronger from the same part of the world and CQed in your face," Cook added.

"If you've got limited operating time, spread it around - obviously watch for peak opening times, but also try and avoid the busiest zoo times - especially at the start of the contest."

The CQ WW SSB Contest runs 48 hours from 0000z October 24 to 2400z October 25.