Log Checking Report (LCR) - KL8DX 2012 CQ WW CW Contest LCR

The KL8DX Classroom

I recently received an email from Randy, K5ZD outlining my Log Checking Report (LCR) for the 2012 CQ World Wide DX CW Conest. Logs are public and participants are alerted to their log becoming available. A few feel that revealing of the contest logs should not happen as it would possible give up strategic information, etc. Me on the other hand, it's my Report Card and grades how well I did in the contest. I welcome these reports with open arms and I sure use them to my benefit. I learn from them and then try to fix my problem areas.

My shack is my classroom when it comes to operating. I'm always learning. It could be about propagation, strategy, space weather, greyline or simply how my equipment plays under certain conditions. I also learn from others without leaving my chair. As mentioned in my previous blog, via email or simply just tuning and listening to other operators on the air. I learn what and what not to do this way. 

Anyhow, if I had to grade my operating from the CQ WW CW Contest, I would grade myself at a C+ level. This is simply because my 3.8% error reduction. Had I not lost a multiplier, I would of graded myself at a B-, I think. Let's take a look at the breakout -

************************** Summary ***************************

    1881 Claimed QSO before checking (does not include duplicates)
    1862 Final   QSO after  checking reductions

    4186 Claimed QSO points
    4046 Final   QSO points

     129 Claimed countries
     128 Final   countries

      69 Claimed zones
      69 Final   zones

     198 Claimed mults
     197 Final   mults

  828828 Claimed score
  797062 Final   score

    3.8% Score reduction

       8 (0.4%) calls copied incorrectly
       7 (0.4%) exchanges copied incorrectly
       0 (0.0%) band change violations
       4 (0.2%) not in log
      15 (0.8%) duplicates (Removed without penalty)
       3 (0.2%) calls unique to this log only (not removed)

********************** Results By Band ***********************

             Band   QSO  QPts  Zone Cty Mult

   Claimed   160M     0     0     0   0    0
   Final     160M     0     0     0   0    0

   Claimed    80M    11    23     5   5   10
   Final      80M    11    23     5   5   10

   Claimed    40M    30    76     8   8   16
   Final      40M    30    76     8   8   16

   Claimed    20M   728  1731    19  58   77
   Final      20M   720  1657    19  58   77

   Claimed    15M   913  1896    19  38   57
   Final      15M   905  1852    19  37   56

   Claimed    10M   199   460    18  20   38
   Final      10M   196   438    18  20   38

   Claimed    All  1881  4186    69 129  198  Score   828828
   Final      All  1862  4046    69 128  197  Score   797062

When I looked a bit closer as to the reason why, it was simply my copy. 
In looking at it from another angle, my lack of copying. Let's take a look -
********************* Incorrectly copied *********************

14053 CW 2012-11-24 0247 KL8DX    1 PS1T    11 correct     PS2T       
14027 CW 2012-11-24 0327 KL8DX    1 JF1NSD  25 correct     JF1NHD     
21046 CW 2012-11-24 0840 KL8DX    1 SF3A    14 correct     HF3A       
28065 CW 2012-11-24 1911 KL8DX    1 N7LXU    3 correct     N7XU       
28038 CW 2012-11-24 2340 KL8DX    1 JH1CTQ  25 correct     JS3CTQ     
14065 CW 2012-11-25 0015 KL8DX    1 K1BG     5 correct     K1DG
14040 CW 2012-11-25 2252 KL8DX    1 K7FL     3 correct     K8FL       
21082 CW 2012-11-25 2359 KL8DX    1 JF1NSD  25 correct     JF1NHD

I've always had a mental block with the letters "H" and "S" at higher speeds. 
In looking above, that is what stood out first in my error report. And it did not   stop there. I also incorrectly copied the following exchanges -
*************** Incorrect Exchange Information ***************
21067 CW 2012-11-24 0154 KL8DX     1 7K4XNN   24 correct   25
21058 CW 2012-11-24 1819 KL8DX     1 K7BG      3 correct    4
21048 CW 2012-11-24 1827 KL8DX     1 KH7X      5 correct   31
21098 CW 2012-11-24 1851 KL8DX     1 WX9U      5 correct    4
28063 CW 2012-11-24 2244 KL8DX     1 NG7Z      5 correct    3
21036 CW 2012-11-25 2215 KL8DX     1 W3HDH     5 correct    4
14040 CW 2012-11-25 2249 KL8DX     1 N0EF      4 correct    3


The biggest puzzle for me is how in the heck did I get KH7X wrong! Zone 5 for31? And I gotta wonder about 7K4 as Zone 24 and not 25? That's a bit easier to swallow than KH7X. I've worked Paul, NG7Z in so many contests and I know he  is in Zone 3.

The ones that really effect ones score are the multipliers that are "busted." 
I did just that -
********************** Lost Multipliers **********************


21046 CW 2012-11-24 0840 KL8DX    1 SF3A   14 correct HF3A  


So, I review my results for the next test. What can I do to improve and what
mistakes did I make in this last contest that I need to pay more attention to 
during the next contest? Yes, when one is tired, it's easy to make mistakes but
when contesting, that could be the difference between what I refer to 
myself as framing or blaming, or simply - wallpaper or none.
I've also made an attempt to correct people when they have busted my call. I hope that others will do the same should I bust their callsign. Yell back at me or send your call a few times so I get that "V-8 Moment" and correct it. Sadly,
many bust my callsign because of poor spotting. I often get spotted as KL7DX
and people will click, work, log and move on without verifying my call. 
I correct as many as possible and I make sure I send my call after each QSO if 
I'm running stations. If I'm S&P (Search & Pounce) and someone has
my call wrong, I send it not only once, but twice.  Something like, 
"K8QWY de KL8DX 5NN 01 de KL8DX. 
Here is a look at how many busted my callsign (I removed the call to protect 
those who did) -
************* Stations Copying KL8DX Incorrectly *************
21000 CW 2012-11-24 0148 JH****          25 KL7DX            1
21000 CW 2012-11-24 0158 JF****          25 KL7DX            1
14064 CW 2012-11-24 0517 VE***            3 KL7DX            1
14040 CW 2012-11-24 0745 R***            16 KL7DX            1
14009 CW 2012-11-24 0756 SP****          15 KL8NX            1
14000 CW 2012-11-24 0757 Y***            15 KL9DX            1
21062 CW 2012-11-24 0838 L****           15 KL7DX            1
14065 CW 2012-11-24 1524 S***            15 KL7DX            1
14008 CW 2012-11-24 1625 R***            17 KD8DX            3
14034 CW 2012-11-24 1634 L****           20 KA8DX            4
14059 CW 2012-11-24 1644 N***             5 KL7DX            1
21021 CW 2012-11-24 1823 K***             5 KL7DX            1
21025 CW 2012-11-24 1844 W*****           3 KL7DX            1
21000 CW 2012-11-24 1902 W*****           3 KL8DK            1
21000 CW 2012-11-24 1959 K****            4 KL7DX            1
21077 CW 2012-11-24 2018 K***             5 KL8X             1
21000 CW 2012-11-24 2036 K****            5 KL7DX            1
21077 CW 2012-11-24 2044 N***             3 KL7DX            1
21077 CW 2012-11-24 2047 K****            3 KL7DX            1
21077 CW 2012-11-24 2106 W****            4 KL7DX            1
21000 CW 2012-11-24 2208 N***             3 KL7DX            1
21077 CW 2012-11-24 2210 W***             5 KL7DX            1
21077 CW 2012-11-24 2224 K***             3 KL2DX            1
21000 CW 2012-11-24 2227 VE****           4 KL7DX            1
28000 CW 2012-11-24 2240 K***             4 KL7DX            1
14066 CW 2012-11-25 0004 K***             5 KL7DX            1
14066 CW 2012-11-25 0043 VA***            3 KL7DX            1
14000 CW 2012-11-25 0202 N***             4 KL7DX            1
14066 CW 2012-11-25 0211 K****            5 KL7DX            1
14027 CW 2012-11-25 0302 W***             3 KL7DX            1
14001 CW 2012-11-25 1210 U***            16 DL8DX           14
14015 CW 2012-11-25 1215 R***            16 KL7DX            1
14059 CW 2012-11-25 1225 9***            15 KL8TEX           1
14028 CW 2012-11-25 1227 9***            15 KL7DX            1
14000 CW 2012-11-25 1243 U****           16 DL8DX           14
14102 CW 2012-11-25 1252 U***            16 KD8DX            4
14054 CW 2012-11-25 1448 Y***            20 KL7DX            1
21040 CW 2012-11-25 1515 Y***            15 KL7DX            1
14033 CW 2012-11-25 1546 Y*****          20 KR8DX            4
21000 CW 2012-11-25 2045 C****            8 KL7DX            1
21028 CW 2012-11-25 2058 L***            13 KL7DX            1
21000 CW 2012-11-25 2101 K***             5 KL7DX            1
21000 CW 2012-11-25 2126 V****            5 KL7DX            1
21037 CW 2012-11-25 2135 K***             5 KL7DX            1
21000 CW 2012-11-25 2137 W***             4 KL7DX            1
21037 CW 2012-11-25 2202 N***             3 KL7DX            1
21036 CW 2012-11-25 2203 N***             4 KL7DX            1
21037 CW 2012-11-25 2203 N***             5 KL7DX            1
21037 CW 2012-11-25 2204 N***             3 KL7DX            1
21037 CW 2012-11-25 2205 W/******         3 KL7DX            1
21000 CW 2012-11-25 2212 K****            4 KL7DX            1
21037 CW 2012-11-25 2215 N***             4 KL7DX            1
21037 CW 2012-11-25 2218 K***             5 KL7DX            1
14040 CW 2012-11-25 2322 N***             4 KL7DX            1
21000 CW 2012-11-25 2347 JA****          25 AL8DX            1


Contesting is about speed AND accuracy, and scoring reflects just that. 
A call can be busted for many reasons, fatigue, QRM, QRN, QSB or simply,
just not copying it right. What is loud and clear is my final result and using
that, I will forge ahead and hopefully do better next year. 
But for now, class dismissed...   

CQ World-Wide DX CW Contest - The Morning After

Comparing CQ WW CW 2011 / 2012

This past weekend was the annual CQ World-Wide DX CW contest and from the perspective of many, is the biggest contest of the year. From Multi-Operators to Single, many plan for this past weekend months in advance. Many operators in the US,  still feeling the effects of large amounts of good food on Thanksgiving followed by breaking their bank on Black Friday, hit the airwaves in anticipation of logging many contest QSO's. I for one, wish my holiday calorie to QSO count were much closer to one another. Sadly, it never fails that I consume many more calories on Thanksgiving Day and the days following, than I can put QSO's in my contest log. On the positive side, Thanksgiving leftovers work wonderfully at keeping the body fueled for countless hours of VFO turning and the keyboard pounding fun of this contest. 

ARS KL8DX Claimed Score & Summary

In my previous post, I mentioned working the November Sweepstakes as part of the Multi-Operator effort at KL2R. In looking at how Larry, N1TX had Win-test set up, the previous years effort in the Targets Tracking Window was a great motivator (photo above). I know, I'm one of those operators who is not using my complex software to full advantage and I had never used this function before. It did help me keep focused. I spent a little extra time setting up Win-test the night before (I know, the night before, really? When will I learn?) but I still need to get into using ESM (Enter Sends Message) mode with this software. But, I'm getting there. I'm still an F-Key abuser and it would save time and I'm sure would increase my rate. 

My score breakout summary is listed directly above and it just so happened that I beat my last years effort although, not by much! My claimed score last year was 792,396 and logging 1,852 QSO's. The main difference last year was that 10 meters was my money band but this year, that turned out being 15 meters. Had 10 meters come to life, my numbers would have looked very different. The CME that impacted Earth must have sent 10 meters packing (see graph below from HAARP's Magnetometer). I'm not a propagation guru but I do know 10 meters did not provide a fraction of the contacts it did for me last year. Last year, I worked 971 QSO's on 10 meters alone!

Magnetometer from HAARP

In speaking of the CME that shook up the Ionosphere overhead, it made for a bittersweet weekend. It obviously effected the propagation and it made the polar path on Friday night extremely tough and Saturday night was no picnic either. I'm running low power these days as I have yet to afford getting my AL-1500 repaired. Shipping to and from the lower 48 alone would be costly and that does not include the repair. It just means I have to pass up more multipliers or try harder and longer to get them, or wait until Sunday. Regardless, it was memorable working European stations on Friday night while gazing out my shack window and watching the auroral display dancing overhead! Now mind you, I've experienced the aurora overhead for several years but I still get excited and enjoy photographing it. Friday night was no exception, I had to stop what I was doing in the contest, costing me valuable 3 point QSO's with Europe (surprising we had a path with aurora being so active) to head outdoors at -17F to snap some photographs! I was outdoors for well over an hour just enjoying the light show overhead. I'm easily distracted and I needed Bonnie and Fannie here from team KL2R to keep me focused. 

Auroral display CQ World-Wide DX weekend © KL8DX

Like many hams, I have more than one hobby. My second favorite is photographing our adventures here in Alaska. I love sharing it with friends and family in the lower 48, many of which have never been to Alaska. We arrived in Healy at our friends house (KL1SF & KL1MF) on the 25th of November, 2003. We moved into park housing during December of 2003, and a few months later, we purchased our current home. Now mind you, I did experience the aurora from Northern Ohio and even photographed it a few times but such events were rare. Here, the "Northern Lights" are viewed nearly all winter long. This alone helps ease the pain of winter however, it's normally very cold outdoors during the prime viewing times. 

Auroral display CQ World-Wide DX weekend ©KL8DX

If you dress warm and have an understanding camera and tri-pod, it's not hard to capture these breathtaking events. The photo above and to the left, are those I took on Friday night showing the auroral display over our QTH. Now mind you, this is after it had subsided a bit. Our shack window (shown illuminated in blue on both photos) is the best viewing window for the aurora as I keep the shack mostly dark. I'm not one for enjoying copious amounts of light both at home or at the office. My office for years has been nicknamed, "The Cave." My wife made a rare appearance in the shack over the contest weekend to enjoy the light show to the north while I was chasing European stations on 15 and 20 meters. If only I could get her to upgrade and be interested in a Multi-Single effort. Nah, more fun for me! All kidding aside, her support and supplying necessary nutritional needs goes without saying, these contest weekends would not be successful without her support and understanding. Like many a ham, I'm lucky to have an understanding spouse. 

Now getting back on track with the contest, my goal was to log over 2,000 QSO's and beat my previous year score. I did beat my score (claimed) however, I did not break the 2,000 QSO mark. As I had mentioned before, had 10 meters been great, I would have easily manged that goal. As it was, attempts to get a run going on 10 meters was in vain and it worked out best for Search & Pounce only (S&P). The 3 point contacts were nice but I wanted more. But like with any contest, there were highlights and low lights. Me complaining about 10 meters was a low light but I'm thankful for my 199 QSO's on that band. Lots of radio friends encountered along with so many familiar callsigns. My low band antenna's stink and to those who pulled my signal out on 40 and 80 meters, hats off to you and your station! I took some notes during the weekend contest and here are a few unedited I had listed -

• Getting to hate Saturday and Sunday mornings. I can't seem to get the attention of anyone on the East Coast as they are still pointed to Europe.
• My morning strategy, chasing "Bleeps" on the Spectrum Scope while consuming copious amounts of decaf coffee. Yea I know, I get more out of the bleeps than I do the coffee. 
• Saturday morning, 10 meters opened up briefly but then closed back down. 
• Gray Line propagation working well and added some much needed multipliers.
• Seriously PY3DX, I've been on this frequency for well over an hour! If you want it that bad, go ahead and take it! I'm working PY's right and left so I know you can hear me! Ugh!
• Full break-in is a bit tough to get used to but necessary with as quickly as some stations call when I'm CQ'n.
• Sunday, the return of propagation (somewhat), thank you!!!!!!
• Is it me or does it seem like CW ops increase their speed by 50% on Sunday? Tryptophan must be wearing off, goodness!
• EL2A, on 15 meters and logged?!! What just happened? That did!
• Aurora is beautiful and I'm still able to work Europe? I must be dreaming!
• Trying to understand why DX stations don't ID more frequently. If you work more than 5 stations and don't ID, I'm gone! If I was Assisted, I might know who you are but for now I don't, and really don't care.
• Well, here come the DUPES so someone must have spotted me as something other than my callsign. Probably as KL7DX again. Surprising how many click on the band map and pull the trigger!
• EF8M, you want me in your contest log but just don't know it.
• Seriously Sunday? Normally I can work these multipliers today and they are no easier than Saturday! WTH?
• Enjoying Twitter and the #WATwitter Hashtag spearheaded by Connie, NR4CB. She is the Bionic Nerd!  
• 10 meters, where are you??
• Pile-up's...I'm trying everyone, please have patience! I'm drinking decaf, remember?
• It's 1655z and I'm at 1,355 QSO's and 554,222 points! I think I can, I think I can...
• Damn, there are some strong stations out there! Size does matter!
• I wish my score could count towards NCC!
• Contest is over, I need Motrin!!!!!!!!!!!!
• LOTW will probably need life support after this weekend...and next...and the weekend after that...LOTW might need Motrin!

That is my 2012 summary of the CQ World-Wide DX CW Contest as I experienced it. It was tough but enjoyable. My fellow Alaskan's were out in force and from the preliminary posts on 3830, not many should be missing Zone 1. I on the other hand, missed Zone 1 on 40 meters. I could not break the KL7RA pile-up. A huge thanks to all those that make this contest (and all of them) possible. I would write more but the 5 day deadline for log submission is here and I gotta get to my soapbox and log submission! Thanks for all the contacts, sorry to those I missed, and I appreciate everyone's patience as I still am learning pile-up management. Add many calling at the same time and the effects of the aurora washing out their signal, it can be extremely tough to just get a partial callsign, let alone a full one. I'm thankful for each and every contact and if I'm running and you don't get me the first time, please come back! Like my paycheck, my pileups are normally short lived.