I'm back with the Contest Crew—Dan N6MJ, Bill W9KKN, Chris KL9A—and special guest Levi Jeffries K6JO, who takes us deep into the guts of serious HF contesting, from antenna stacks in Tennessee to the fine-tuned dance of 2BSIQ phone operation. Levi recounts his recent effort in the Worked All Europe SSB contest, operating remotely from Ron WV4P’s elite Tennessee hilltop contest station. The competition was tighter than expected, with Jim WX3B chasing him down in a dramatic scoreboard race and wielding a clear Northeast propagation advantage. Levi’s strategic grit was on full display—from wrestling with poor 20-meter conditions to catching rare multipliers on fickle 10 meters. Yet, what shone brightest was his sharp technical dissection, including a live test of the Teensy Maestro, a compact switching solution for Flex radios. In a candid reflection, Levi admits he may have misplayed his QTC timing—but not before giving a masterclass on 2BSIQ philosophy. This wasn’t just radio acumen; it was contest strategy with human nuance. And in the broader context of AI-assisted ops, Levi offered a compelling counterpoint: in low-rate, high-skill contests, it’s not just about copying calls—it’s about coaxing the unheard to speak. This episode sets the stage for a high-voltage CQWW season. As Chris KL9A and Dan N6MJ gear up for world record attempts—from CQ9A or EA8—the quiet rivalry and escalating arms race in gear, grit, and strategy hint at a historic fall. Add Braco E77DX to the mix, and Chris predicts not just one world record falling, but possibly three. It's a showdown to anticipate—and to watch unfold right here on Q5. Join the conversation and subscribe to Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio.
When you’ve got a contest station, really how hard is it to talk across the world? Don’t seem like much of a challenge when you’re got the best of everything equipment
