PT5J x ZW5B - ARRL DX SSB 2022

Hello friends: Although it is not common for GADX stations to compete in the same category in international contests, in this ARRL DX we had a happy coincidence of having our main operator PP5JR from its station in Serra da Boa Vista committed to operating SOAB (A) and by decision at the last minute our friend Manu LU9ESD who would operate from Krassy station in Jamaica, due to problems with the antennas, decided to operate here from ZW5B to defend the world championship won by the same station in this contest.
Sergio kindly made himself available to give up the place for Manu, but it wouldn’t be fair to take him out of an already compromised operation.
I, as always, would prefer an assisted operand (Sergio) and the other unassisted Manu.
But Sergio and Manu found it challenging and motivating to both operate in the same category, which I agreed with.

As we still haven’t changed the station from the ZW5B to the new QTH, although without the phased antennas below for 20, 15 and 10 and as the antennas would be practically in one position, the current one would be in order, as I recently did a noise scan line and reception was in good condition.
So two of our stations PT5J and ZW5B would be competing against each other, both trying to beat the South American record that belongs to PT5J.
The propagation was really fantastic, especially in 10 meters that revived the good times.
We have decided for some time that our stations would necessarily upload their scores online to allow maximum transparency and increased motivation, having the challenge in front of them throughout the operation.
Therein lay the first frustration – There was no way to automatically or manually post the ZW5B score at the start of the contest. CQ Contest scores did not allow processing. PY2EQ Rogerio tried from his home computer and later from the PS2T station to post the results without success. It stuck in the registry itself.
After a few hours of trying, we managed to upload it via the ICOM Contest Live Score, but without details per band, which I myself did from time to time circulating our ARRL DX in the chat and sometimes directly to Sergio so he could follow up on how he was doing. to ZW5B.
At the end of the contest, Sergio ended up facing the same problem as the ZW5B, and was unable to post the result until the end.

Without having Sergio’s summary, Manu operated in the best possible way, but without knowing Sergio’s score.
Manu made an incredible recovery in these last 12 hours and something happened that none of us expected.
PT5J with 3 more QSOs than ZW5B, which for a total of 5,664 QSOs gives a tiny difference between the two operations.

Regarding multipliers, Sergio also had 3 more multipliers.
I don’t remember any operation in the same country and the same group having such a similar operation. I think it will be history.It is, I believe, Manu’s second 48-hour operation, and he ended up sleeping for a few hours at the most suitable time that he didn’t miss more than 30 QSOs.

Sergio gives us, once again, a lesson in perseverance and tenacity not leaving the radio even for minutes. Really fantastic.
Congratulations to both for the operations and to Sergio especially for the tight victory and for breaking the record that was his own.
As Sergio has a lot of experience in 48-hour contests and pays a lot of attention to the “accuracy”, the victory in the checklog should be his.

IT COST
PY5EG