Approx 31000 QSOs made in 24h during the Azores Island Hunt

IMG_1131IMG_1140IMG_1042IMG_0845IMG_1096

We are back from the Azores Island Hunt expedition. Approx 31000 QSOs were made during 24 hours of operation from the 9 stations when a hardcore team of DX-ers and contesters visited the islands (unofficial ADIF numbers incl. eventual dupes). Nine stations running pileups on 40, 20 and 17m were on the air on CW/SSB simultaneously. The stations total run rate were in average approx 1300 QSOs / hour. Above I have posted some initial selected pictures from the event. We would like to thank OH2BH, OH8NC, CU2CE, CU2DX and all the local Azores hams that made this event possible. What a great memory for life we all got! What characterizes the Azores is great openings on HF. The reason the major contesters in the world choose to win from the Azores is the location almost in the middle between USA and South America. During daytime 10m, 12m, 15m and 20 meter openings are something else than experienced on more northerly latitudes (extremely good). Please check in later at http://azores-islands-hunt.com/ for official information. Below is the information about the teams and operators:

TEAM FINLAND, SANTA MARIA, CU1ARM

  • Juha Hulkko, OH8NC
  • Kimmo Rautio, OH9MDV
  • Sérgio Oliveira, CU1AAD
TEAM NORWAY, SAO MIGUEL, CU2ARA

  • Marius Hauki. LB3HC
  • Ghis Penny, ON5NT
  • Guilherme Frias, CU2IF
TEAM USA (1), TERCEIRA, CU3URA

  • George Tranos, N2GA
  • Diane Ortiz, K2DO (YL)
  • Domingos Cabral, CU3BS
TEAM GERMANY, GRACIOSA, CU4ARG

  • Franz Langner, DJ9ZB
  • Richard Gottlieb, DF9TF
  • Guilherme Bento Frias, CU4AB
TEAM CANADA, ST JORGE, CU5AM

  • Yuri Onipko, VE3DZ
  • Ed Kulchenko, VE3FWA
  • José Silveira, CU5AM
TEAM DENMARK, PICO, CU6GRP

  • Alex Hansen,OZ7AM
  • Kenneth Hemstedt, OZ1IKY
  • Jorge Dutra, CU6AB
TEAM USA (2), FAIAL, CU7CRA

  • Michael Corey, KI1U
  • Richard Boyd, KE3Q
  • Manuel Bettencourt, CU7CA
TEAM BELGIUM, FLORES, CU8AO

  • Carine Ramon, ON7LX (YL)
  • Claude van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, ON7TK
  • Frederic Fournier, CU8AAE
TEAM UNITED KINGDOM, CORVO, CU9AC

  • Nigel Cawthorne, G3TXF
  • Michael Wells, G7VJR
  • João Camara, CU9AC
Azores 9 Islands Hunt Organizing Commitee

  • Fernando Tavares, CU2BV, Chairman
  • Francisco Gil, CU2DX, ATA Representative
  • Jose Melo, CU2CE, Islands coordination
  • Martti Laine, CU2KG, Radio operations

Pictures from OH8X WPX SSB 2012

Here are some pictures from the WPX SSB 2012 at Radio Arcala. Enjoy!

DSC_5491_w800_txtDSC_5510_w800_txtDSC_5437_cpd_w800_lb3hc_v2_txt DSC_5535_w800_txtDSC_5519_w800_txtDSC_5534_w800_txtDSC_5470_w800_txtDSC_5462_w800_txtDSC_5274_w800_txtDSC_5283_w800_txtDSC_5351_w800
DSC_5342_w800_txtDSC_5418_w800_txtDSC_5277_w800_txtDSC_5306_w800_txt

                   CQWW WPX Contest, SSB

Call: OH8X
Operator(s): LB3HC, LA7JO, CU2DX, CU2CE
Station: OH8X

Class: M/S HP
QTH: Arcala
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:   36
   80:  106
   40:  478
   20: 2259
   15: 1082
   10:  178
------------
Total: 4139  Prefixes = 1379  Total Score = 11,906,286

Club: Contest Club Finland

Comments:

Great to be back operating from Arcala now that the SSN is higher! All
operators: LB3HC, LA7JO, CU2DX, CU2CE had a great time and a lot of fun (as
usual from OH8X - Arcala). 

Thanks to OH2BH, OH8NC and OH6KN for hosting us! Also thanks to the rest of the
Arcala team for making this possible!

This time we also had time to take some HD video and wide angle pictures of the
station.

Plusses:
=========
This time we had relatively good conditions up here at 65 degrees north
latitude in the ice and snow.

No significant technical issues were experienced.

This station station is professionally built by the extremely skilled guys in
the Arcala team. Kudos!

The Arcala antenna park is nothing less than extreme.

It was nice running with the new Yaesu FT DX 5000. Yaesu did it again! 


Minuses:
=========
We were likely affected by aurora at several time periods during the contest
that affected rates. We were unable to achieve runs at 40 and 80 to DX
locations and that resulted in that the DX runs was worked on 20 and 15. That
cost us 6-3=3 points per DX QSO and our average QSO points were below target. 

Our target was to beat OH10X from 2011 and we wkd more mults, but somewhat less
QSOs corrected by the QSOs/36*48 factor due to condx and latitude (claimed
score). In fact 40 meter did not give good DX propagation at all.  OH10X is
approx 500 km to the south. 

We lost power due to a power company outage / spike at night and lost control
over all tower rotators and the voice keyer. It took several hours to correct
this.

Summary:
=========
WOW! What a station and what a team. Contesting has got a new meaning. 
Updated pictures will be posted at http://www.lb3hc.net

On behalf of the team 
LB3HC
Marius