ARI DX contest 2017

I had great fun with low power in the ARI DX contest.
This year it was not that easy, because of QSB.
But nevertheless I made a total of 11 QSO's with 8 mW up to 800 mW.

QSB
Sometimes the QSB (fading) made it very difficult. But it's also a sport to choose the right moment to answer the CQ. I start answering before my signal peaks to make the QSO. My signal has to be also  in the clear. In QSO number 3, the signal of LY3B went up slowly, so I had to listen very carefully to work him with 8 mW. For the QSO with I7PHH I had to wait for the signal to go up, to make the QSO when my signal peaked. Hi. In the last QSO with HA8GZ there was no QSB. But when I look back in my notes on paper, I see, that I heard many stations, that I have not work because their signals faded.

Excellent Ears
I met 3 very skillful operators with excellent ears in QSO number 2, 3 and 4.
YT1A with 80 mW, LY3B with 8 mW and RW3YA with 80 mW. Well done gentleman.
I am not the strongest station on the band, but when my signal is in the clear, these skillful operators with will answer my call, what ever my power may be. Hi. It is all a matter of propagation.

The table below shows the QSO's in chronological order in blocks of one hour.
The table shows the power that I used from QSO to QSO.

ARI DX contest - 14 MHz  - PA1B

Worked DXCC's

ARI DX contest 2017 - PA1B

Helvetia contest 2017 update

I had fun in the Helvetia contest 2017 with low power.
Even though there was QSB, I still could make some beautiful QRPp QSO's.

I got a request from Panagiotis SV1GRN to write a more detailed story.
Yes, you are right, Panos. It's my pleasure to make the update. hi.

Update
The first table shows the QSO's in chronological order.
This is very interesting, because it shows, which power I used from QSO to QSO.

Saturday
I started on Saturday with just 3 QSO's. The signals were S9, S9 and S⁺.

Sunday
When I started on Sunday, I heard HG7T with a very strong signal. S8 + 20 dB.  But then the QSB kicked in. The signal strength dropped about 10 dB and I had to use 80 mW to make the QSO. That is how it goes with QSB. hi.
In the next QSO with CT, I had to use full power and I had to repeat my serial number. hi.
Then I went to 15 meters. The band was empty.
So I went to 40 m and made a QSO with HB9MM in VD.
I decided to go back to 20 m and made 3 QSO's with 36 mW.
QSO number 8  with LY3B was exciting. The QSB reduced the signal strength, just after the QSO was completed. hi.
In the last QSO I had to QRO to 800 mW, (QRO means increase my power), before my signal was heard and the QSO was made.

Helvetia contest 2017 - QSO's in chronological order - PA1B

Worked DXCC's

Helvetia contest 2017 - PA1B