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While many struggled with the propagation during the 2008 CQ WPX SSB contest, Tom Georgens W2SC excelled, raising his score from 2007 by 4 million points, which gives him the World Single Op lead by a wide margin.
"The first 8 hours of the contest were brutal and I was over 400 Q's behind last year," Georgens told radio-sport.net.
"On Saturday, the high bands were pretty good and Saturday night 40 was awesome."
In second is Ivan Dobrocky OM3LA, who logged just over 17 million points from Guadeloupe as FG/OM3LA.
If Georgens wins the single op competition, it would be his third straight WPX SSB title. At this point only, there seems to be only one op who might derail that bid, Dr. Hrane Milosevic 3V8BB/YT1AD.
"Still waiting on a score for 3V8BB," said Georgens.
While Georgens tries to repeat his high power title, the low power winner could be a repeat as well.
In first again is Yasar Gocet TA3D, who operated TC3D to 8.04 million points, down from 2007, but still good enough for first place.
Second place in low power is Teddy Jiminez HI3TEJ, as he clocked 7.36 million operating HI3T. Just behind in third is ZP0R (ZP5AZL) at 7.24 million.
In the US, the single operator high power leader is owned by Jeff Briggs K1ZM, who totaled 8.8 million points, 1.5 million ahead of Ken Claerbout K4ZW, who operated KN1DX to 7.3 million.
"It is nice to know that the old place is still reasonably competitive," Briggs said of his home QTH on Cape Cod.
Briggs made the lion's share of his contacts on 20 meters, with only 100 contacts on 15.
"The rates were far better into Europe on 20 meters," said Briggs. "For me 20 meters was about the same both days - signals were weak but workable."
The low power leader is one of K4ZW's PVRC colleagues, as Bud Governale W3LL claimed 1.31 million points. 24k back is Ed Campbell NX7TT.
For most ops, WPX SSB was like other major tests this year, as conditions were rough.
"Lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth as to how bad conditions were," said Bob Shohet KQ2M in his 3830.
While the Mult-Multi ranks had few competitors in 2008, it didn't matter, as Team AO8A put up the best score of any station in this year's contest with 45.9 million points.
The top US M/M was NQ4I with 12.7 million.
In the Multi-Two category, the lead is in the hands of the 6Y1V team, as they ran up 7,104 contacts for 30.3 million points, easily beating the North American Multi-Two record of 15.9 million set by V47KP in 2003.
"I was initially skeptical," wrote team member Scott Robbins W4PA on his blog at w4pa.journalspace.com, "not because I didn't think we or the station could do it, but the band conditions have been the absolute pits the last few weeks."
"Did we win the whole thing? Unknown. Don't know who is in what category yet. What was CT9L? CT3Q? AO8A was M/M. CN2R? Not sure who else might be out there," added an excited Robbins.
The M/2 leader in the US is Team WE3C, which rang up 13.8 million points from 4,189 contacts. One of their late operator adds was John Crovelli W2GD/P40W.
"The high claimed is better than the NQ4I M/M, clearly a reflection of more DX QSOs and better low bands," said Crovelli, who could use a M/2 win to help him with qualifying for the 2010 WRTC in Russia.
As for the Multi-Single competition, it could be a repeat of last year's winners, as Matteo Carrisi IK2SGC and Stefano Brioschi IK2QEI took 5D5A in Morocco to over 35 million points.
Carrisi told radio-sport.net the goal was to win again and break the WPX M/S WW Record set by D44TD in 2002 of 33.4 million. Log checks will determine whether they can set that record or not.
"We had a great fun and probably this was one of the most difficult contest ever," said Carrisi, "we were very tired during and after this effort."
Carrisi said they made a series of antenna and strategy changes and improvements to maximize their on air time.
"We spent the entire first night in 80 and 40 with very good run rate results," said Carrisi.
But like many ops, Carrisi can't wait for the solar cycle to change for the better.
"We are still waiting for the great 10 meter band new cycle opening to avoid this year 13 qso’s we made…"
The issue this time centered on stations that at times did not use the "59" signal report in some WPX exchanges, first pointed out by Steve London N2IC on the CQ-contest reflector.
"The issue N2IC raises may stem from an outdated, silly tradition. But, it is the rule," wrote CQWW Contest Committee member John Dorr K1AR.
Most of the focus was on Ranko Boca 4O3A, who claimed 10.3 million points for one of the top scores in Europe.
"If you don't give it (59) then you didn't follow the published rules," said Jeff Clarke KU8E. "Maybe Ranko (4O3A) should not submit his log."
While strongly disputing any assertions that he cheated, Boca told radio-sport.net that he had decided to send his entry in as a checklog.
Boca says he made the decision in order to be "a role model" for others in the contesting community.
But Boca urged the CQ WPX Contest Committee to consider getting rid of the "59" signal report entirely, saying "it does (make) sense anyhow."
Boca also urged the contest community to focus on "real cheating" examples, such as those who used the ON4KST low bands chat site during the CQ 160 CW contest.
"I read some comments about that here (at radio-sport.net.) Hopefully then, CT9M and OM7M should not send a log either, or should be DQ?" said Boca.
There was no guidance from the WPX Contest Committee as to whether Boca could be disqualified.
He said a review of his own recording of the contest showed he used the "59" signal report most of the time.
"On my archive, it is very hard to find a QSO without 59," Boca told radio-sport.net. "Looks like that I made it shorter just in huge pileups."
If Boca had sent in his log and been disqualified, it would have cost him more than an award this year, as it would have also blocked his efforts to qualify for the 2010 World Radiosport Team Championships in Russia.
TC3D (TA3D) - World Low Power
4M2L (YV5YMA) - World QRP
P40W (W2GD) - World Assisted
ZY100S - World Multi-Multi
AN8A - World Multi Two
5D5A - World Multi-Single
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