DX Marathon: Comments
CQ DX Marathon

2017 DX Marathon: Comments

Started off great for the first couple months and then things slowed down.  Missed a couple Pacific operations when "Irma" came by.  Will give it a go again in 2018……W4JS    Great contest…..K1SND     2017 was a better year than 2016.  In September I ventured into FT8 where I worked 128 countries, all on 5 watts.  Although the higher bands are not as strong as they used to be, there are still plenty of short openings on some very long paths……K4AR     Thank you for your Marathon efforts. I enjoy doing it every year……NU8Z      I tried FT8 wherever possible to show how big a game-changer it is for VK hams that struggle with DX……VK3GA    I reactivated my station after a several year hiatus. Winter storm took down my antennas and tower 5 years ago. Just put up the 43’ vertical.  Looking forward to 2018……K2JL     Thanks for sponsoring the competition which really generated some keen interest from our Willamette Valley DX Club members during 2016……K7VIT     I will change my antennas to have better results, even with the minimum Solar Cycle……PP1CZ   Enjoyed the Marathon, looking forward to 2018…..K5TF     Even if conditions are going down, always a nice incentive to work DX…..VE2BR     2017 was both fun and frustrating, as some "easy ones" hid from me all year.  KL7KK and I had a good run this year.  He stepped up his game and dominated the second half of the year.  I found it tough to compete with a guy who is retired and can be on during the day while I’m at work…..AL7KC    Thanks For DX Marathon 2017…..YB4NY      It was a good year for 40 meters entry. I worked a lot of nice DX. This is my best single band score so far. I missed some countries that were active……9A2EU    So many DXCC entities have been missed due to a lot of company affairs and travel……A65CA    I missed several garden-variety ones.  A tough year, and next year promises to be tougher still. This is a really a great program for keeping operating interest up……AC7P     This is the first time I am entering this Marathon…….ZS6AI    Bring the bands back……N4ANV     Just 7 months of operation this year due to construction and to assemble a new tower and antennas.  Nevertheless it was fun as always……CT1IUA     First time participating the CQ Marathon, just started end of August.  It was great fun to chase any needed DX.  Will see you again in 2018…..DL6DH     DXing is tough from Antarctica, but I always try to work as many entities as possible on a simple wire antenna……DP1POL    My first year in the Marathon. I felt encouraged by my friend Oscar Luis EA1DR and his presentation at our national convention. Will see you next year…….EC1CT    First Entry having missed the deadline last year…..G4PDF    I tried to participate in the single band 6M category, I enjoyed it……I4EAT    A great competition……W9ILY     I participate in the Marathon digital mode since 2009 and every year is always more beautiful.  I have already started the 2018 competition…..IK5FKF    Propagation for six meters was worse than last year but I had more points thanks to the new digital modes……IW2CAM    First time entrant…..IZ8JAI     I missed a lot of entities due to low SSN…….JA0DAI         Band conditions are no good.  Hope I can more DX in 2018…….JO7KMB    Just found the DX Marathon thanks to a post on DXLab group.  Sounds like fun and gives a modest station like mine something to work towards. Hoping for better result in 2018……K1FR     Thank you CQ Magazine, and John K9EL for hosting and managing the 2017 CQ DX Marathon.  This was a better year overall than 2016…….K4AR     First year participating in the Marathon.  All QSOs made on my 160 Meter inverted vee dipole…..K8AC   Conditions during most of the year were very challenging - missed a lot of relatively easy stuff due to poor propagation. SE Asia and the Middle East were particularly difficult this year - still a fun contest……KB0EO     First time entering… I am 15 years old…….KM4SII     First time contestant.  Need to work harder next year…..N5KAE     FT8 really changed the digital QSO numbers……N5ZY     All QSOs made with JT65, JT9 and FT8 modes only………NN6NN     Conditions made it a bit tougher this year. But fun as always……NU8Z    Thank you for the DX Marathon and your good work for us DX´ers…..TF3DC     Please accept my entry for Digital Modes only…….VK3LDB    Another enjoyable year of chasing DX in the waning sunspot cycle……VK4CC    A great experience…….W9C    Another Great Year. Had a lot of fun in spite of poor conditions…….W9KNI     I lost 3 months after lightning damage in my shack. Conditions seem to be worse and noise higher as last year…….IN3FHE     I know SWLs do not participate in the Marathon, but it is a very good contest.  2017 was my best year…..HA0001      Thanks for a great year long contest - keeps the DX fires lit . Bands were not great but did get a few good ones this year……..WA4JQS    2017 was a great year.  Overall conditions weren’t the best, but quite good for this spot in the solar cycle……WE6Z     Hopefully conditions will be better in 2018……YD0RXA    Hope to see you again in DX Marathon in 2018 with more Countries and Zones……YG5YUD   It was a very big effort for me to chase DX and contact them with only a multiband vertical antenna but I really enjoyed it very much. It was a very agreeable challenge for me……YV5EN    A tough year for me, with less time for radio, worse conditions and more time spent idly filling digital slots on FT8 instead of chasing new ones.  Don’t know how I missed Zone 2….ZL2IFB