CQ WPX SSB 2025

After not operating last year CQ WPX SSB from Madeira, I thought to try something “new” for 2025.

The Plan:

I already did many single band entries in CQ WW SSB from CQ3W, but in WPX single band feels less exciting. I still have not worked myself into SO2RUN (2BISQ) or even classic SO2R, so it would be next to impossible to compeet with D4DX or 8P5A from here. SO2R on SSB is something I HAVE TO WORK ON! So what now? The idea came up to try an optimized entry in the 24h classic category. There is only one radio allowed, op time is 24h, no cluster real unassisted.

A quick peek in the score database on cqwpx.com showed that this is not a holiday game. Top score from 2024 is P49Y by AE6Y with almost 4000 QSOs and more than 15M points. That revealed that you cant have slow hours within the 24 operating hours!

Day 1:

So the goal was set and with 23 previous trips to Santana I had a rough idea what band/times could work and what are the slow hours from here. It is so tempting to go after 40m 6 point QSOs, but in SSB the band is so packed that I was not able to hold a CQ frequency for long or to generate any long runs above 130 QSOs/h. I atempted it twice on the first day but went to break when it slowed down to much. At least I managed 2700 QSOs and 9M point within 16 operating hours.

Day 2:

So day two is usually slower – so the only answer is: KEEP POUNDING!

This is how motivated day 2 started…

More action on the high bands after a long break, but still no luck with rates on 40m. I have to get better in CW – that should be zero trouble in morsecode there.

Everyone seemed to be on 15m and 10m, so i gave it some hours on 20m and that actually wored well for some mults.

After the 24 hours I had no desire to work more QSOs for the score, as D4DX and others are way out of reach and I had only 5 hours left. It does not make any difference for me if I am 16M or 20M in the overall category, so I decided to go for some nice food and relax! As always we have to wait and see who else might have started in CLASSIC!

RAW Scores 7.4.2025:

The gap to #2 should be save!

Thanks to all the callers and sorry for the ones I could not figure out in the QRM. Very special thanks to the CREW CR3W * for the ongoing support and the oportunity to operate the CR3W station in Santana. It is improving every year – you guys do a wonderful job here!!

Fun fact: I was able to meet the guys from CQ9A, they are building a super station a few kilometers from here. They claim 58M with 9000+ QSOs in M/S! Wooow. Thanks for the hospitality and great to meet some old frinds and meet new ones.

This will be updated with some more data when I am back home.

STATS

Best rates …. could have been better, but this is not CQWW, there are serial numbers that cause a lot of slowdown! My number again .. again again … qrm – splatter, you name it.

At least i could hit 5 QSOs per minute WITH NUMBERS – 85 times.

Only 2 times 6 QSOs – that is bad and needs improvement.

And finally the famouse MAP!

Some impressions from Santana:

A nice video about flying into Madeira!

FT8 haters – stop reading here!

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