The Contest Crew is back following the recent CQ WPX CW weekend, with a look inside their individual efforts, a glimpse at the inevitable Murphy moments, and their usual humorous take on the world of serious contesting. Dan Craig N6MJ, Randy Thompson K5ZD, Chris Hurlbut KL9A, and Bill Fehring W9KKN break down a contest that began with record-level expectations but quickly turned into a battle against inconsistent conditions and tough copy. Dan WU2X (N6MJ) chased a top U.S. score in Single Operator All Band High Power from Tariq's well-respected N2QV station in New York, operating remotely from California while overcoming last-minute station issues and capitalizing on a crucial Sunday morning opening to Japan that ultimately helped separate him from the competition. From KM7W in Montana, Chris shares stories of generator problems, a Spiderbeam that didn't survive the weekend, and a contest spent tracking rivals across the online scoreboard while watching world-record pace unfold from CR3DX on Madeira. Spoiler alert: Chris's world record from CQ9A in 2025 survived the challenge. Randy reflects on the realities of operating from Ohio, the challenge of copying serial numbers through heavy QSB, and how months of station automation work finally paid off. Bill offers a different perspective, using the weekend to evaluate remote operating and station performance from ZF1A after an exhausting contest season. The conversation also explores station maturity, low-band strategy, beverage receiving antennas, and the operating habits that separate good operators from great ones. It's a reminder that most contest wins are built long before the starting bell—through planning, experimentation, and countless hours spent improving the station. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.
