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CONTEST PAGE

Contesting is really my goal in Amateur Radio. I started this activity briefly after the license was given to me in September 1982.

With CT3BX and CT3EF, we formed the CT3M Team. The main operator was Hern Ct3BX, which had much more experience, and gave me all the basics to contest. After some years operating in different stations, Hern decided to erect a new station in the other island of Madeira Archipelago - Porto Santo. At that time I made a few contests with some well knowned operators such as DF4SA, DL3DXX and DK7YY, also cooperated with DJ6QT Walter and in some operations of the old Madeira DX Group.

After 2 years of sabbatical stop, CT3DL invited me for the CQ WW SSB in October 2000, and from that moment on I am participating in the Madeira Team activities (www.madeirateam.net)

At home, I'm usually active, but only with a tribander, and 100W, and have some participations in the Russian DX contest, YO DX contest, WAE and others. Normally only a few hours between the shifts in the QRL, and family obligations.

CQ WW WPX 2004

The Madeira Team, once more was active in the CQ WW WPX. This time our effort was in Multi-Two. When we planned the operations for 2004, we though to go on Multi-Multi on this contest. Our experiences in the CQ WW SSB were great, and we wanted to try this time in the WPX. However several problem that came up on the last month, made us change our plans all the operation to the Multi-Two category. Mainly the problems were related to the number of operators. CT3EN had a problem and could not operate, CT3IQ also had some engagements as well as CT3HK. After all we had just about 8 members available, and 2 were less experienced to operate one band alone. So we decided to go in the Multi-Two for the first time ever. The operators were, following the order of the picture above from left to right: CT3KY-Duarte, CT3IA-Miguel, CT3KU-Tiago, CT3DL-Luis, CT3BD-Jose, CT3LG-Filipe and CT3DZ-Faria. On the second picture CT3IA disappears and CT3EE-Luis shows up in is place (somebody has to take the picture hihi!). As a global appreciation of our participation, I could say that it was very good. Our score shows that we can relay on the members of the Team to operate in running stations everywhere, and also that the new generation is coming up. CT3KU, CT3KY and CT3IA were very good in the global performance. For the first time CT3KU and CT3KY were operating a running station in "overcrowded" periods, and they did quite good.

The propagation was really good on the first night, and the weather was also nice. A bit cold but no wind a the rain was not no hard. On the second night, something strange came up. At about 04.00 UTC, we could not ear any stations in any band. We even though that the contest was ended. Heavy noise from Thunderstorm, rain and snow, made a strange effect (for us) on the bands and we had on the low bands heavy QRM, and on the high bands complete silence. We were like this for about 4 hours, and the bands started again around 0800UTC, but with completely different conditions. This happened again in the last 2 hours. We tried to be on the low bands whenever possible, but the conditions for us were really bad. On 10m, we could hardly ear a station. Not even South America.

CU all in the next one.

CQ WW WPX 2005

Once again on the air. 2005 experience was very encouraging for us all. After the experience in the CQ WW CW 160, assisting VE3NE and his team, we learned a lot regarding the low bands. Also the visit from OH2PM and OH2BH, gave us a lot of entusiasm in continuing our effort. CT1BOH for professional motives could not come. After considering a lot which category we would go, we finnaly decided in the lat days that we would run again Multi-Single. Using the setup for a multi-multi operation, regarding the stations and antennas, it was easier to operate. We did not need the change bands and retune the Amplifiers, we simply go from one station to the other and operate. Simple !!! Better for the operators, better for the rigs, amplifiers etc.

The real goal was, as always, make it better every year. Regarding that, and also regarding that the propagation was going down, we did a good performance again. Last Multi-Single in WPX SSB was in 2003 with a claimed score around 17 millions, and this time we could reach a 20 Million claimmed score.

Many thanks to all the "Helpers" on the bands, and also to the VE3NE crew, for such a good antennas for 160 and 80m, also to D4B, Al for the tests before the contest (as ever), and to all the stations who came on our frequency. We really appreciatte all the love and care from our big number of friends. God bless everybody, and see you all in the next one.

CQ WW WPX 2006

Once again the Madeira Team was active in the CQ WW WPX 2006. All the Team got together and repeated last year cattegory. M/Single Hi Power.

For this year there were no new staff to test. The second 40m Beam used for the first time in the CQ WW SSB 2005, came down on the beguinning of January, along with a 22m Tower, during a big wind storm on the contest QTH. So we are again with only 1 Beam for this band. As a guest operator, this time we had DK7YY, Falk. Our friendship for many years made him accept the invitation, and for the second time I had the pleasure to participate in a contest with him.

The station Setup, was the usual in our Team. We assembled the Multi-Multi Setup, and we changed stations every time we want to change bands. This allowed to have 1 running station, 1 multiplier station and 3 other stations for pouncing and listenning the bands.

For the first time in many years, we had the station ready a few days in advance, and no Storm came to destroy it. So we had time to work some stations before the contest start, also to have some fun in the previous days, and we could start the contest quietly and rested.

We all would like to thank other competitors for their cooperation in the testing period before the contest, and for the contacts during the contest. Our special thanks to PS2T, and 5B/AJ2O, their signals were big, and their skills are fantastic. Also a big thanks to all the stations who worked us during the contest, and a special thanks for all the stations who spotted us of the Cluster networks, they all contribute for our score.

Finnaly our best hope of sucess to our Brasillian friends for the WRTC 2006, we are all sure that a big sucess will come up.

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