K4WDR - 2016 CQ World-Wide DX RTTY Contest

Details: Created: 22 September 2016

September 24-25
Starts 0000 GMT Saturday -- Ends 2400 GMT Sunday

After getting my feet wet in a RTTY Sprint (4 hrs) I am looking forward to the upcoming 2016 CQ World-Wide DX RTTY Contest. One major difference in this contest vs the Sprint is that you are not constrained to S&P and then what I refer to as "semi run" operation. In the Sprint contests you are able to call CQ and once working any station you must move off frequency and either work another station calling CQ or once QSY you can then call CQ again.

In the previous RTTY Sprint contest I participated in, I experienced some technical difficulties and lost 53 minutes of the 4 hour total operating time by not being able to get FliDigi to interface with the N1 MM + contest logging program correctly. I have since did what most tend to do last and that being; "if all else fails - read the direction s" ...

Hopefully I have all the kinks worked out and the operation works smoothly which may allow me to rack up some respectable scoring which may help the SECC's bottom line. Placing in the top ten (either in the overall or regional) would be a major plus as well however it is extremely difficult to keep up with the "big gun" contesting stations. That not being meant as a complaint but more so as a reality but if I can plan my approach properly and strategically then that will definitely help my bottom line.

Hope to hear you on the bands and work you for the benefit of both you and I.

73'

Bill - K4WDR

Follow Up

Wow! What an extremely hectic and draining contest. With the arrival of the last 12 hours remaining in the contest, I was spent. I decided that in order to reach my goal of at least placing in the top 25 listed on the Score Server I would just have to set my alarm and get about 4 to 6 hours sleep which would then leave me 6 to 8 hours during the "prime time" on 20m to make up for what I was knowing to be lacking in points. When the alarm went off, I made only one comment to my wife; "Screw It" ... and went back to sleep.

How others are able to persevere and obtain points in the upper 6 and lower 7 digit figures I have not a single clue. They must have some really amazing listening capabilities with their respective stations as well as the fortitude of the average Army Ranger! I know it is a ridiculous statement to make (as well as having been many years since passed) but I don't recall even basic training in the Army being this tough both mentally and physically. Ouch ... I am getting old it would seem.