CQ DX Marathon

2014 DX Marathon: Comments

My very first participation in the DX Marathon - a very interesting yearlong event……..TG9AJR.  Many thanks for running this contest. I’m still missing some of the harder ones…….AI2C Thanks again for running this contest…….W8QZA.   My first entry for the DXMarathon…….PA2LO.   Thanks for all the fun during 2014, 160m propagation just inexistent during this second solar cycle peak…….N4IS.   I Hope a lot of folks participate this year. It’s a fun contest…….W0RIC.    I had a slightly busier year in Cambodia for 2014. Hopefully in 2015 I'll get a better antenna up…….XU7AEU.   Not a big score as I took 8 weeks off touring around Australia.  Thanks for the contest, see if I can do better this year……VK8HPB.    I had a great time as always trying to top my previous best and did so, by clearing 181 DX entities!  It was also nice to add a few new ones to the overall list as I get closer to the 300 total mark……W9KVR.   This is my first attempt in the Marathon or any other contest in 55 years of ham radio.  The pace fits my operating style much better than traditional lightning fast exchanges of weekend concentrated contests……..W3NA.  Thanks for giving me a reason to work DX all year.  Please consider awards for modes CW, phone, digital, low power etc. for separate zones and/or countries……VK3MEG.   Thanks for running this neat competition……N0KE Thanks for the contest……WU9B.  Thank you for adding the Limited class option…….ZS1D.  Lots of fun. Hope to do again in 2015……NU8Z.   Always fun to do this through the year….AA8R.   A big thank you to all the DX-peditioners and hams on remote places in the world who made DX hunting possible.  2014 was a great ham radio year…..PA2LO.    All good fun again this year…….VK4CC.   Another fun year - already starting for 2015…….W9KNI.   Another fun year for the DX Marathon.  I kept the stress level low by not worrying about what countries I had worked.  With that philosophy, I only missed 8P and EK of the easy ones I normally QSO……K8CQ.   So far five years that I have participated. Every year gets more and more beautiful……IK5FKF.  As always, a very interesting test of one's DX-ing capabilities (and perseverance) - best of all it allows one to compete against oneself year on year, this on an absolutely even playing field. A whole lot of fun…...VK3FM.   Been working most of the year during much of the best times for operating on HF so missed a fair bit of DX…….CT7ACG.   Better than 2013, but always 39 zones, this time zone 2, what a pity…….IN3FHE.  Big Fun to start over each year. Recharges the excitement battery and provides a chance to see old friends for a quick greeting.  Thank you for this great annual activity……K7BV.   Could not dedicate as much time this year due to other commitments, but nevertheless a very enjoyable year……..N4KW.   Enjoyed Formula Class using 5 watts this year……N1AM.   Even though I missed out on a few and perhaps could have made it to 200, I can't complain, as I still compiled the most DX stations in a year than I had ever before……W9KVR.   First time entry so hopefully I did OK…….M0RNR.   First time ever entry to the DX Marathon. Licensed in April 2011. Operating when time permits; mostly digital 5W and CW 5-100W on 40m using ground mounted 31' vertical wire antenna……VA3PAW.   First time to submit my log for the DX Marathon. CW Only……DU1XX.  First-time entry. Thanks……N0FCD.   Fun contest, lots of competition……N0UN.  Good fun.  Much easier to score when you have a separate log for the year in question.  I don't know what we'll do if AD1C ever stops his good work on conversion programs.  Good work Jim…….VE1JS.   Great fun during the year……WA4JQS.  Great fun each year…..W9ILY.   Great fun…..K3RA.  Great fun.  Thanks for organizing this operating activity…….AC7P.   Second year entering the Marathon.  It has been great fun but pretty tough being in VK3 with only 100w so you have to be smart and well prepared…….VK3MEG.   How nice - new for 2014 - 1A0C popped up and workable about three minutes before I was going to send in my log.  Great program - can't wait until you add band-countries to the competition……VE1RGB.  It has been very challenging for me to hit the 100 mark using my Hustler mobile vertical on the back of a Jeep in an RV park.  I really enjoyed it… will do better this next year……K8OSF.  It's been a fun year. Many thanks to all those who were at the other end of the QSOs……GI4DOH.  Just a casual effort at DX-ing, but very interesting to see the analysis of my log…...AJ6T.   Just learned about the Marathon.  What a great way to summarize a year's activity…….KB1VUN.  More fun than ever! Indoor antennas really can work……K9HWL.  Most of QSOs were made from portable locations…….LZ2HT.   I got back on the air on August 21 after a several year hiatus from the HF bands…….AD2EE.  My second year in the Marathon……KG5VK.  Not a very good year - well below my peak score of last year.  Still enjoy participating and tracking progress……..KF0IQ.  Not as good as last year’s CW only, but then the effort was not as much as last year.  I am a DX-er, and chasing DX is the game.  CQ Marathon is a terrific incentive to get on the air and continue in a hobby I have enjoyed for over 60 years…….W4QN.   Not much of a score this year, but I love this contest - it does exactly what it is intended to do… motivates me to get on the radio with a fresh start every January.  Thanks and keep it up…….W2RDS.  Once again a very fun contest, even for us little DX guys.  Thank you for supporting it and look forward to next year……N7RD.  Proud to submit to CQ Marathon from Zone 40 for the first time. Decision not made until at year end - so missing a few easy ones. Thanks to Jim, AD1C for making log conversion to score sheet easy…….TF3DC.  Really enjoyed running this contest.  Worked a lot of stuff I hadn't seen in years……K4IE.  Really great fun to look for any single entity on 40m.  It has been amazing to feel the sensation of working a new one even if it's an easy one. Thanks a lot for the Marathon…….IK0YVV.  Second Year submittal……..        WC3W.    Thank You for nice contest……LY5M.   Thank you!  Long time CQ subscriber, first year participant……..N4GBK.   Thanks for the nice organization……TC3P.   The DX Marathon always makes my activity high. Thanks…..JA0DAI.   This activation only using Balcony antenna. Great performance for me to continue next year……TA5FA.  It's fun to look back at a year's worth of chasing DX…….K3JT.  First CQ DX Marathon and not the last…….CT7AIX.  Trying a single band submission for 10M before this solar cycle takes my favorite band away….I really enjoy the Marathon…….KM7N.   Work and family demanded a lot of attention this year.  Virtually all of my QSOs came in the last few months of the year.  It was fun trying to rack up a respectable score in a much shortened operating window……..KK9T.   Will try a more serious entry in 2015. Never really checked my scores and missed some really easy ones.  Nevertheless I'm quite surprised that I worked 211 countries in 2014…...EI7JZ.  It wasn't until after the two CQWW contests, when I sorted my main log into just 2014 contacts that I considered entering the DX Marathon competition.  It has been a lot of fun chasing and working some of the most exotic DX from a very modest station…...N9TF Thanks for interesting long contest…….UT9FJ.  Great program - can't wait until you add band-countries to the competition……..VE1RGB.  Thanks for running the Marathon……ZL2IFB It’s a great contest and I enjoy it very much. I have already started on 2015…...VE9FX