2007 CQ WPX CW Results

By Jamie Dupree NS3T 

With four of last year's top six single operators out of the running and two other top ten finishers switching locations, the 2007 CQ WPX CW contest seems to be turning into a wide open, unpredictable shootout.

Just back from the N8S Swains Island DXpedition, 2006 WPX CW champ Hrane Milosevic, YT1AD, told radio-sport.net that he is not planning to defend the title he won last year as 3V7A.

"3V8 is a good location for WPX...but I am very busy" said Milosevic. "Our team's idea is to work multi-single or multi-two as 3V8BB."

Two other top ten single ops from last year are also going multi: Valery Komarov, RD3AF (2nd as EG8FAS) and Patrick Destrem, F6IRF (6th overall and low power winner as CN2WW.)

"I have a general view of contesting, which is, if you want to keep things interesting, always try something new" said Destrem, who is helping to build a permanent station for CN5W in Morocco.

"Let's say that this year the objective is more to build up the "group spirit", rather than being really competitive."

That's not the case for Komarov, RD3AF.

"I will absolutely win in WPX CW 2007, but only in the category M-2" said the Russian, who this year will be part of a team at EF8M in the Canary Islands.

Ensuring even more change this year, the #1 op in the radio-sport.net World Rankings, John Crovelli W2GD (4th in 2006) will not be back at P40W in Aruba.

"I would love to go down to P4 for the WPX CW" said Crovelli, "but making a living (antenna work for other hams) is getting in the way this year." Crovelli says he will be back in Aruba in July for the IARU.

As if all that isn't enough of a shakeup, last year's 7th place (WC1M) and 9th place (OH2PM) finishers will be doing battle at different QTH's and with a little less hardware.

"A big factor in last year's win (US SOAB High Power) was operating from KT1V's super station" said Dick Green, WC1M. "(KT1V) has a great antenna farm, featuring stacks on the high bands...this year I'll be operating from home."

Green though has had success from there, finishing 2nd in the 2003 WPX CW. "But I think it will be very difficult for me to repeat" said the defending US champ.

Meanwhile for 2006 European all-band winner Pertti Simovaara, the veteran Finnish contester indicates he's unlikely to match his 9th place world finish at CU2A.

"This year I'll try to make my best in a new QTH which is 80km to the west of my previous OH2PM location" said Simovaara.

"Unfortunately there are no rotating towers and stacks, just a tribander and wires. It will take a year or so to get all my antennas moved."

So with at least four - and maybe as many as six - of last year's top nine single ops out of the way, one of those ready to step in is Ken Widelitz, VY2TT/K6LA.

"4th World in WPX (2006) was my best finish ever in a major contest" said Widelitz, who made over three thousand contacts from his PEI DX Lodge in 2006.

"The most difficult strategy decision in WPX is when to take offtimes, which is not the case in 48 hour contests where I go as long as I can....and then just take a relatively short nap."

Others poised to move up include Jim Fitzpatrick, WI9WI, who will be back again at the PJ2T superstation on Curacao, where he was 5th in the world last year and 8th in 2005.

Also getting ready for another big North American effort is defending US low power champ Ed Sawyer, N1UR, who will again activate his company's club call of NV1N. He finished sixth in the world in last year's WPX CW.

"I don't try to repeat a win" said Sawyer, "I try and beat my last year's score. I figure if someone is going to beat me, at least they can have to work hard for it."

Not many from the US have overtaken N1UR in recent majors, who was in the world top ten in both the 2006 WPX SSB and CW.

"I believe that the string of wins that I have had recently is a combination of a number of things. I have upgraded my station... and some of the strong SOAB LP competitors have been doing other categories."