CQ WW DX CW 2024

 

At first I wondered, wheter I would join the CQ WW DX CW contest.
Late in the afternoon I turned on the RIG and I listened for a minute.
When I heard the strong signals, I was immediately excited.

Very low power QSO's 
The first 5 QSO's were made in just 20 minutes with a power of 36 mW (1), 80 mW (3) and 3.6 mW (1), on Saterday afternoon.

Two digit milliwatting
On Sunday afternoon I used 80 mW to make an other 6 QSO's with S&P.

QSB

Then the QSB kicked in. So I had to use 360 milliwatt. And on occasion I made one QSO with 80 mW and one with 36 mW. 

Activity in the contest
A major contest offers a great opportunity to make QSO's with low power.
I had great fun with QRPp with 3.6 mW to 800 mW. All with S&P.
I also made 2 more QSOs with 2.7 W on 40 m, but the emphasis was on working with low power.

TRC DX contest 2024

I had great fun with low power in the TRC DX contest 2024
When the signaal strength goes up, I reduce my power, before answering a CQ.

On 20 meter I reduced my power when possible.
And on the other bands (40 m, 15 m and 10 m) I used a power of 2.7 W.
In this conest I used QRPp (1 W or less) in 22 QSO's and in 21 QSO's I used more than 1 W. My antenna is an end fed sloping down to the east.

With low power it is easy to make a "more than 1000 Miles per Watt QSO".
The QSO's in RED are more than 1000 Miles per Watt QSO's.

As a Low Power enthusiast I often use Search an Pounce (S&P). When the signals are strong I use S&P, instead of calling CQ with  the maximum power of my QRP set.
Before I answer a CQ, I can adjust my power, using the S-meter reading. The stronger the signal, the lower the power can be. Propagation works both ways.