K5ZD Announcements

UA9CDC Joins CQ WW Committee

Please join me in welcoming Igor Sokolov, UA9CDC, to the CQ WW DX Contest Committee. Igor will provide us with more insight into the opinions of contesters in Russia and Asia – two growing areas for the CQWW.

Igor started as an SWL in 1973 and operated from club station UK9CAN and then UK9CAE (now RF9C). He received the call UA9CDC in 1978.

He shared the following about his ham radio and contesting experience.

“In 1982 was part of the big polar expedition that went from Bering Straits to Scandinavian peninsula using sled dogs. The entire root was above Arctic Circle. Call signs used were EK9C/0 and EK9D/0. In 1984 was part of the team at RF0FWW from Georgia were we have set up a record in WAE CW. Many different contests done and won from UK9CAE (aka RK9CWW, RF9C) club station.

Then in 1998 was part of a UA9C team operating from 9M6AAT in WPX. Same year we did our first effort from 8Q7DV. Then between 1999 and 2011 participated in MS and M2 efforts from 8Q7DV, 4X, VK5CRS, OZ9EDR. The best achievement from 8Q7DV was 2nd place world in M2 category. In 1993 or 94 (do not remember for sure) while visiting the USA, passed my exams and got US call N3TOD.

Latest contest operations were several top ten world from RF9C, 4th place in WPX SSB 2012 MS from 6V7Z (two ops, me and RA9FW) claimed 2nd in the world in CQWW CW 2012 MS as 6V7V and most recently claimed 1st in CQ WPX SSB 2013 M2 from RF9C.”

Welcome aboard Igor.

Randy Thompson, K5ZD
Director – CQ WW DX Contest

K5ZD Announcements

JH5GHM Joins CQ WW Committee

I am pleased to announce that Katsuhiro “Don” Kondou, JH5GHM, has agreed to join the CQ WW DX Contest Committee. We have been looking for a JA representative to replace Tack, JE1CKA, since he left the committee last Fall.  Don has been helpful with the CQ WPX Contest and I am sure he will add a valuable Japanese perspective to the Committee.

Don received his first operator license in 1978 and soon got a station license (JH5GHM) in early 1979.  He started DXing and contesting in 1979. Like many of us, his first contest was CQ WW SSB.  “During my campus life in Tokyo Institute of Technology I devoted myself to contests as JA1YAD.  After graduation, my radio life…was totally dormant from early 90’s until 2010.  In the early summer of 2010, my wife woke my radio life up and rebooted me.  Since then I’ve been catching up on lost 20 years and trying to be in any of the major contests.”

Welcome aboard Katsuhiro-san.

 

Randy Thompson, K5ZD
Director – CQ WW DX Contest

K5ZD Commentary

Thank the Plaque Sponsors

One of the goals for many top level operations in the CQ WW DX Contest is to win a plaque. It could be for the World, or their continent, or country. This is something that shows real achievement and success in the contest. It also looks great on the wall of the shack to help explain contesting to family and friends.

The CQ WW is very fortunate to have individuals and clubs that are willing to sponsor these plaques. You can see the complete list of available plaques at http://www.cqww.com/plaques.htm. It is an impressive list and we are very appreciative of their support!

The CQ WW plaque program is administered by John, K1AR. He collects the money, helps select the award winners when we do the results, and he manages the detailed job of getting all the plaques mailed and shipped. Plaques in the US are mailed direct. Plaques outside the US go via a freight forwarder arranged through CQ Magazine.

If you are ever fortunate enough to win a CQ WW plaque, please take a moment to send a thank you note to the sponsor. It lets them know you appreciate their support. This encourages them to continue their support for the next year.

If you have any questions about the shipping status of a plaques, please contact John, K1AR, at k1ar@cqww.com. If you win, send John a thank you note too.