IOTA contest and CY9M DXpedition

I was planning on spending some time this weekend participating in IOTA contest...but...I got called into work and by the time I got home and settled in I was only able to put in about an hour toward the contest. This is the first time I had taken part in the contest and was surprised at the turn out, this is a very busy contest for sure. I had hoped to add to my DXCC count by taking advantage of some of the rare islands. I did hear lots of rare DX but that was as far as it got to making any sort of contact. I found the bands to be so so there was an M6 flare along with an R2 radio black out that did not help out conditions. Despite the conditions I was able to make 8 contacts.
On all my contacts I tried with the lowest power possible and worked my way up until I made contact. If  I was at full output (5 watts) and still could not make contact it was time to move along.


Below is how the hour of contesting worked out for me
1) K1VST          NA046          5 watts
2) VE1AL          NA010          5 watts
3) DL5AXX       -------            5 watts
4) M05BFL        EU005         5 watts
5) DL8FBL         ------           500mW's          8,014 miles per watt
6) 9A/OM8AA   EU016         500mW's          8894 miles per watt
7) S58VU           -------         3 watts 
8) G6PZ             EU005      100mW's           35,262 miles per watt        

Pile up for CY9M on my P3
I had seen CY9M on the band scope but they were super busy and with my 5 watts I felt I did not stand a chance. This morning there was an email on the Elecraft reflector from WB2LQF stating he had worked CY9M on both 20m and 30m's with his Elecraft KX3 and using 5 watts to do it!!! So I am back at it now and it's still busy but I am going to give it a go again this afternoon and evening. I just checked out WB2LQF's web page (see link above) he also uses attic dipoles such as myself.....now it's GAME ON!!!
Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

2 Responses to “IOTA contest and CY9M DXpedition”

  • Tony Hoffman, AA2TH:

    Being consigned to indoor antennas, I can appreciate the challenges in working within limitations–whether self-imposed or dictated by logistics or co-op covenant–and am awed by your success. I had fun working the IOTA contest despite less-than-ideal band conditions, picking up 12 new island groups and 3 new countries.

    I didn’t hold out much hope of working CY9M, but today around noon I saw spots for them on 30m CW, and sure enough, there they were, very faint but audible from here in NYC, CQing no less, and I quickly worked him. I may not be able to break through a pileup, but I try to make the best of what band opportunities present themselves. (The only other new country that I worked on 30m in daytime was Sable Island, under similar situations in time of day and short-haul propagation.) So Game On, indeed!

    73 de AA2TH
    Tony Hoffman

  • Mike Ve3wdm:

    Good morning Tony, I too saw a spot for them on 30m’s as well but was not able to hear them at all. I was trying on 20m but the pileup was very large and very busy. I am going to give them a go this week during the evening. Running indoor and attic antennas sure does have it’s challenges. I find you have to be more patient when making contacts and working contests. Thanks for stopping by Tony and taking the time to comment.

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