Secrets of Success 2 Analyzing WRTC Logs to

Secrets of Success #2: Analyzing WRTC Logs to Improve Performance Eric Scace K 3 NA eric @ k 3 na. org 03 Jan 18 – CCF Vantaa Finland

Contents • Review: Lessons from WRTC-2000. • 2002 play-by-play highlights. • Overview statistics. • Lessons learned.

Review: 3 lessons from 2000 1. Always interleave QSOs: – Run constantly. – S&P constantly. – Don’t wait: work when you find a mult. Do NOT work from a list. – Don’t be a serial DXer! – 90% S&P mults will be unique.

Review: 3 lessons from 2000 2. Always pass: – Running: an ordinary QSO can be a mult on a different band/mode. – S&Ping: Even a non-mult or dupe can be a mult on a different band/mode. – ~75% passed mults will be unique.

Review: 3 lessons from 2000 3. Accuracy pays: – Double-check for typos.

2002 play-by-play highlights 12 z: opening. 04 z: Russian breakaway. 14 z: 1 st breakaway. 05 z: Europe ahead! 17 z: 1 st clawback. 0730: 3 rd clawback. 20 z: twilight duel. 09 z: convergence. 01 z: 2 nd breakaway. 1020: 4 th breakaway. 0330: 2 nd clawback. 11 z: sprint to finish.

1 ST place changed 30 times!

Nice. Opening rate… 12 -14 z: Why are KQ 2 M+W 7 WA last? SSB QSO/min CW QSO/min Multiplier/min QSO on this band during this minute

Lesson 1: 12 -14 z: Opening Always interleave QSOs.

12 -14 z — multipliers Changed bands; ran a list; still behind at 14 z.

14 -17 z: 1 st breakaway Slightly Early to better 40 m rate on 2 -pt 15 m NA for QSOs 20 m…others many double-mults. while are working EU on 20 m.

Your rate meter is not your friend! • 16 z hour – N 5 TJ+K 1 TO • Mostly 15 m 2 pt NA QSOs. • 114 QSOs … 186 QSO pts – RA 3 AUU+RV 1 AW • Mostly 20 m 1 pt Eu QSOs. • 114 QSOs … 149 QSO pts.

17 -20 z: 1 st clawback How did DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL and RA 3 AUU+RV 1 AW recover?

17 -20 z — multipliers After 15 m Lesson NA 1: closed, went Always to 20 m interleave for more 2 -point QSOs. NA QSOs.

17 -20 z — multipliers N 6 MJ+N 2 NL and KQ 2 M+W 7 WA have similar mults. Why are they behind?

17 -20 z — QSO points At end of 15 m NA Ran their mult list run, skipped 20 m on 20 &to 40 m. run 10, & went 40? !

N 5 TJ+K 1 TO: 1 40 m run. duel 20 -01 z: twilight st DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL: 1 st 80 m ops. DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL: 20 m CW. N 5 TJ+K 1 TO: 80+20 m runs. RA 3 AUU+RV 1 AW: also on 20 m.

20 -01 z — 20 m frequency usage N 6 MJ+N 2 NL: 145 q 243 pt 10 m RA 3 AUU+RV 1 AW: 115 q 181 pt 6 m N 5 TJ+K 1 TO: 123 q 195 pt 5 m DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL: 130 q 200 pt 6 m KQ 2 M+W 7 WA: 20 q 25 pt 7 m

20 -01 z: twilight duel After 12 hours – a tie! N 5 TJ+K 1 TO: 1507 q x 321 m = 645, 531 pts DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL: 1317 q x 348 m = 644, 844 pts N 6 MJ+N 2 NL: strategy shift: rather than stay on a band for 1 hour, shift every 20 minutes. KQ 2 M+W 7 WA: 80 m + 20 m runs

Tactical decisions • Strategy: general approach to contest Helps you decide what to do, when several equivalent tactical alternatives are available. • Tactics: what you do now – What: run vs. S&P – Where: band, mode, position in sub-band – When: for how long? – Why: purpose

Your rate meter is not your friend: part 2 • Is your tactic successful? • Measuring success: Needed: Metric to compare performance of alternatives. – Rate: in QSO points – Mults: in QSO point-equivalents – Combined metric: “EQPs”: equivalent QSO points

Your rate meter is not your friend: part 2 00400049 z N 5 TJ K 1 TO DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL KQ 2 M W 7 WA run 80 cw 20 ssb S&P 20/15 ssb 80/40 ssb/cw

Your rate meter is not your friend: part 2 00400049 z N 5 TJ K 1 TO DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL KQ 2 M W 7 WA run 80 cw 20 ssb S&P 20/15 ssb 80/40 ssb/cw QSOs 17 7 7

Your rate meter is not your friend: part 2 00400049 z N 5 TJ K 1 TO DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL KQ 2 M W 7 WA run 80 cw 20 ssb S&P 20/15 ssb 80/40 ssb/cw QSOs 17 QSO pts 24 7 11 7 12

Your rate meter is not your friend: part 2 00400049 z N 5 TJ K 1 TO DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL KQ 2 M W 7 WA run 80 cw 20 ssb S&P 20/15 ssb 80/40 ssb/cw QSOs 17 7 7 mults 2 4 6 QSO pts 24 1544 Qs 2066 pts 330 mults 6. 26 pts/mult 11 1366 Qs 1921 pts 364 mults 5. 28 pts/mult 12 1488 Qs 1978 pts 317 mults 6. 24 pts/mult

Your rate meter is not your friend: part 2 00400049 z N 5 TJ K 1 TO DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL KQ 2 M W 7 WA run 80 cw 20 ssb S&P 20/15 ssb 80/40 ssb/cw QSOs 17 7 7 mults 2 4 6 32. 1 49. 2 QSO pts 24 Equivalent 36. 6 QSO pts 11 12

Using the EQP meter

Strategy & tactics with EQP rates Always have knowguides Tacticalwhat Plan BA: • Strategy: toready: choose, when several equivalent tactics “I’m “I willrunning try running 40 m 20 m cw SSBare highavailable. in the and band, S&P on and 80 m S&P cw. ” on 80/40 m cw. ” • Tactics: “I will. EQP “The start is doing betterthis than when whatmy I was EQP – What: run, S&P doing below fades on a dying my 60 -minute 10 and 15 m. ” average. ” – Where: band, mode, position in sub-band “I’m doing this because 20 m 40 m should is a new Is this tactic better than what I was doing before? – When: how long? band be open that to. I USA can run, with and 2 -pt 80 m Qs. is I have virgin Is this tactic still good? but harder spent less time to run. on SSB New than mults CW willon – Why: e. g. , 2 -pt QSOs; under-exposed offset low 20 m. There pts/QSO may beand more slower space rates; and the EQP more USA should stations be high. ” above 14225. ”

01 -04 z: 2 nd breakaway & clawback N 5 TJ+K 1 TO: trouble DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL: 1 hour late on to 14036. 20 m.

01 -04 z: 2 nd breakaway & clawback RA 3 AUU+RV 1 AW: switch from CW to 14334!

04 -0730 z: Europe breakaway What if they stayed on SSB? And 50 mults behind DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL at 0730 z…

04 -0730 z: Europe breakaway 20 m SSB tactic abandoned early? Early move to 15 m & interleaving 10 m QSOs and mults pays off.

04 -0730 z: Europe breakaway Early move to 20 m SSB… … then interleaving… … and landing on 10 m.

0730 -1030 z: 3 rd clawback N 5 TJ+K 1 TO: 0815 z: N 5 TJ+K 1 TO: Large 4 batch 10 m multipliers wipes out Less than hoursof remain. Hot run on 21228 k. Hz: the 135 Qs in 45 mins… 25 -QSO lead Threeateams tied for by first! European teams. DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL: 65 QSOs on 21039…

0730 -1030 z: convergence The Great Convergence 1 h 20 m remaining: … N 5 TJ+K 1 TO switch to slower 15 m CW DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL: to 15 by SSB 1 st through 4 thswitch separated < 1% (~20 QSOs)

1030 -12 z: 4 th breakaway RA 3 AUU+RV 1 AW: hot 20 m SSB run

1030 -12 z: 4 th breakaway …then goes toare 15 m SSB…on …whileeveryone DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL slower 20 cw…

1030 -12 z: 4 th breakaway All teams are on 20 m SSB in the last ½ hour… (except KQ 2 M+W 7 WA on 20 m CW) …except N 5 TJ+K 1 TO, who go to 14306. but it’s too late to recover.

QSOs, points, or mults? N 5 TJ K 1 TO RA 3 AUU RV 1 AW DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL N 6 MJ N 2 NL KQ 2 M W 7 WA score 1, 630, 204 1, 615, 014 1, 603, 320 1, 562, 976 1, 534, 953 QSOs 2, 786 2, 638 2, 481 2, 714 2, 844 QSO pts 3, 739 3, 818 3, 448 3, 618 3, 847 pts/QSO 1. 34 1. 45 1. 39 1. 33 1. 35 mults 436 423 465 432 399

QSOs, points, or mults? N 5 TJ K 1 TO RA 3 AUU RV 1 AW DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL N 6 MJ N 2 NL KQ 2 M W 7 WA score 1, 630, 204 1, 615, 014 1, 603, 320 1, 562, 976 1, 534, 953 QSOs 2, 786 2, 638 2, 481 2, 714 2, 844 QSO pts 3, 739 3, 818 3, 448 3, 618 3, 847 pts/QSO 1. 34 1. 45 1. 39 1. 33 1. 35 mults 436 423 465 432 399

QSOs, points, or mults? N 5 TJ K 1 TO RA 3 AUU RV 1 AW DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL N 6 MJ N 2 NL KQ 2 M W 7 WA score 1, 630, 204 1, 615, 014 1, 603, 320 1, 562, 976 1, 534, 953 QSOs 2, 786 2, 638 2, 481 2, 714 2, 844 QSO pts 3, 739 3, 818 3, 448 3, 618 3, 847 pts/QSO 1. 34 1. 45 1. 39 1. 33 1. 35 mults 436 423 465 432 399

QSOs, points, or mults? N 5 TJ K 1 TO RA 3 AUU RV 1 AW DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL N 6 MJ N 2 NL KQ 2 M W 7 WA score 1, 630, 204 1, 615, 014 1, 603, 320 1, 562, 976 1, 534, 953 QSOs 2, 786 2, 638 2, 481 2, 714 2, 844 QSO pts 3, 739 3, 818 3, 448 3, 618 3, 847 pts/QSO 1. 34 1. 45 1. 39 1. 33 1. 35 mults 436 423 465 432 399

QSOs, points, or mults? N 5 TJ K 1 TO RA 3 AUU RV 1 AW DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL N 6 MJ N 2 NL KQ 2 M W 7 WA score 1, 630, 204 1, 615, 014 1, 603, 320 1, 562, 976 1, 534, 953 QSOs 2, 786 2, 638 2, 481 2, 714 2, 844 QSO pts 3, 739 3, 818 3, 448 3, 618 3, 847 pts/QSO 1. 34 1. 45 1. 39 1. 33 1. 35 mults 436 423 465 432 399

Overviews & statistics • Passing strategy. • Interleaved S&P QSOs. • Waiting for mults. • Logging accuracy. • Home country advantage.

WRTC-2000 passing performance WRTC-2000: Top 5 teams passed 201 multipliers & QSOs. WRTC-2002: Top 5 teams passed 63 multipliers & QSOs.

WRTC-2002 passing N 5 TJ K 1 TO RA 3 AUU RV 1 AW DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL N 6 MJ N 2 NL KQ 2 M W 7 WA Passed QSOs 16 14 12 14 7 Passed multipliers 16 13 15 11 5

Interleaved QSOs N 5 TJ K 1 TO RA 3 AUU RV 1 AW DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL N 6 MJ N 2 NL KQ 2 M W 7 WA Interleave QSOs 235 218 222 113 53 % of total QSOs 8. 4% 8. 3% 8. 9% 4. 2% 1. 9% Resulting multipliers 213 238 209 104 39 Top 3 teams interleaved significantly more QSOs: 1 of every 12 QSOs!

Time spent interleaving QSOs N 5 TJ K 1 TO RA 3 AUU RV 1 AW DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL N 6 MJ N 2 NL KQ 2 M W 7 WA Interleave QSOs 235 218 222 113 53 Total wait time 3 h 39 m 4 h 24 m 4 h 20 m 2 h 12 m 1 h 21 m wait time per QSO 0. 93 min 1. 21 min 1. 17 min 1. 69 min N 5 TJ+K 1 TO save 40 minutes for running QSOs!

Approximate logging accuracy (does not indicate actual penalty) N 5 TJ K 1 TO RA 3 AUU RV 1 AW DL 2 CC DL 6 FBL N 6 MJ N 2 NL KQ 2 M W 7 WA % Bad or NIL QSOs 0. 4% 0. 8% 0. 6% 1. 6% % score affected 1. 1% 3. 0% 1. 9% 1. 7% 5. 3% All teams are very accurate compared to typical contesters. Accuracy did not affect final standings. N 6 MJ+N 2 NL had uniform error rates. Other teams had somewhat higher potential errors on 20 SSB.

Home country advantage? • 1871 calls from USA, Russia, Germany. – 790 were unique.

Russia advantage? • Russia uniques: – Group average: 0. 8% of total Qs. – Group range: 0. 7 -0. 9% – No advantage to RA 3 AUU+RV 1 AW.

Germany advantage? • German uniques: – Group average: 1. 7% – Highest team: N 5 TJ+K 1 TO — 2. 4% – No advantage to DL 2 CC+DL 6 FBL.

USA advantage? • USA uniques: – Group average: 3. 4% No home country – Highest team: RA 3 AUU+RV 1 AW — 5. 3% advantage! (2 -pt QSO focus) – No advantage to USA teams.

Lessons learned 1. Always interleave QSOs. – Run constantly. – S&P constantly. – Don’t wait: work when you find a mult. Do NOT work from a list. – Don’t be a serial DXer! – 90% S&P mults will be unique.

Lessons learned 2. Always pass. – Running: an ordinary QSO can be a mult on a different band/mode. – S&Ping: Even a non-mult or dupe can be a mult on a different band/mode. – ~75% passed mults will be unique.

Lessons learned 3. Accuracy pays. – Double-check for typos. 4. Raw rate may deceive. – Unequal points/QSO. – Value of multipliers.

Lessons learned 5. Achieve Zen energy. • Speak quickly but quietly: let the radio do the work. • Speak rarely: let the keyer do the work. • No wasted motions or effort.

Lessons learned 6. Achieve Zen time. • The past: – Under-utilized bands, modes, openings. – Past EQP. • The present: – Around your frequencies. – Current EQP. • The future: – Constant review with your teammates. – Know your Plan A: where, what, when, why? – Know your Plan B, when A isn’t working anymore.

The Secrets of Success 1. Always interleave. 2. Always pass. 3. Accuracy pays. 4. Raw rate may deceive. 5. Achieve zen energy & time.