Daily Archives: March 29, 2021

2021 CQ Worldwide WPX Contest

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The weekend just gone (Saturday 27th March & Sunday 28th March 2021) was the 2021 CQ Worldwide WPX Contest. The WPX Contest is based on an award offered by CQ Magazine for working all prefixes. The SSB part of the contest is held on the last weekend of March each year, while the CW part is held in May. This is one of the biggest contests on the amateur radio contest calendar and attracts thousands of entries from around the world.

I took part in the contest entering into the Single Op All band Tri band/wire category. I spent most of my time hunting across the bands looking for new countries.

I ended up logging a total of 355 QSOs on 10, 15, 20, & 40m SSB. I worked a total of 65 DXCC entities as follows:-

  • Alaska
  • Asiatic Russia
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahamas
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bolivia
  • Bonaire
  • Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile
  • China
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • England
  • Estonia
  • European Russia
  • Germany
  • Finland
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Guam
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Martinique
  • Netherlands
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Korea
  • Romania
  • Samoa
  • Scotland
  • Serbia
  • Singapore
  • Slovak Republic
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United States of America
  • Virgin Islands
  • West Malaysia

The world map below shows my contacts during the contest.

Above:- Map showing my contacts around the world during the 2021 CQ WW WPX Contest. Map courtesy of qsomaps.org

I heard some new DXCC entities for me during the contest, but only managed two new countries on 40m and that was Martinique (FM5BH) and the Bahamas (C6AGU). I almost snared the Bahamas on 80m SSB, but my 100 watts just wasn’t quite making it.

There were also the usual special prefixes and rather rare DXCC entities. Also a couple of unusual calls. The first being D1DX in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The second being Z61DX in the Republic of Kosovo. Unfortunately I could not break through the European pile up to log these two stations (I have worked Z61DX previously).

There were some very nice openings into Europe on 15m and 20m on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings. Sunday long path and Sunday short path into Europe were exceptionally busy. I did not call CQ as it was almost impossible to find a clear frequency, such was the busy nature of the 20m band with the European stations. I also found that getting through to many of the European stations was quite difficult because of QRM they were experiencing.

Above:- Map showing my contacts in Europe during the contest. Map c/o qsomaps.org

The 15m band proved best for contacts to Japan and south-east Asia.

Above:- Map showing my contacts to Japan and SE Asia during the contest. Map c/o qsomaps.org

Some of the more interesting contacts during the contest were as follows:-

  • OG73X
  • OG66X
  • 8N0J – Joetsu-city Municipal 50th Anniversary.
  • 8J17CALL – 30th anniversary special event call for the Japanese 7 call issuance.
  • ZF5T – Cayman Islands
  • C6AGU – Bahamas
  • FM5BH – Martinique
  • PJ4DX – Bonaire
  • OH100SRAL – special event call for the centennary of the Finish Amateur Radio League
  • LY31A – special call for the independence of Lithuania from the Soviet Union
  • OM77PA – special call to tribute SK OM3PA
  • CP5HK – Bolivia
  • OA4SS – Peru
  • CE7VPQ – Chile.

Thank you to everyone who called me during the contest.