CQ WORLD WIDE PREFIX CONTEST -- 1996

Call: S50C (Op. Sine - S53RM)

Catagory: Single Operator Single Band
Mode: CW

Band: 40m
QSO's: 1492
QSO PTS: 5558
PTS/Q: 3.7
PREFIX: 615

Totals: 2,418,170pts

Location: Mt. Menina 1508m a.s.l.

Equipmant Description:
RIG: ICOM IC-735 + PA 1500W
ANT: 2 el. rotary Quad, Loop, Inv. vee

Comment:

This was my first 40m contest ever and first short wave CW operation after seven years. I was practically forced to operate, because all other 'Dream Team' members were busy. (S53CC, who normally operates CW contests must studying, S53MM and S55OO had VHF meeting in Ljubljana, S53BB worked in Saturday). If the things are normal, I just help them assembling antennas and take care of equipment and power generator, but most of the time I lay on the upper bed in the shack and watching down how the things are developing HI... So, in Friday after we put 2el. quad on the tower they left the mountain. Only S51MW - Marjan, old friend of mine, stay, to do my usual job... First hours of the contest were not very good for me. I just try to handle QRM and try to put my mind, ears and fingers in order. Around 8 GMT I take first 6 hours pause and in the afternoon started to work JA stations. This is hard job! I don't know why QRN or QRM starts always at the same letter of the weak station callsign HI ? I lost many precious minutes because JA using abbreviations for numbers. They are not strong in EU and I prefer to receive normal numbers when the signals are weak and covered with UA and EU QRM.... Quite often, when I ask for confirming the QSO number I received, I get the same number again, instead RR, QSL or OK. Imagine, when the signals are weak, you can think, that you were wrong first time... It was big relieve working NA second night.... Second day I take pause from 8 to 14 again. Maybe I make a mistake not working EU at noon for one hour. Anyway, I managed to brake down Tine's EU record, but S50A is better again.

Thanks S58MC, S55OO, S53CC and S51MW for helping with preparations for the contest and see you all next time...

73 Sine - S53RM