so i finally jumped into CQ WW SSB last weekend after months of just listening to contest exchanges and thinking "i could do that". spoiler: i could kind of do that but not nearly as well as i thought lol. ran 100w into a dipole up about 35 feet and managed to work maybe 80 something contacts over the whole weekend which i know isnt impressive to anyone who does this seriously but for a first timer i was pretty happy with it.

what really got me though was the sheer scale of it. like i knew CQ WW was big but actually being in it and hearing pile-ups on the DX stations, trying to break through with my modest setup, realizing that my signal is just getting buried... it was humbling in the best way. worked a few EU stations on 15m which felt like a huge deal to me even if everyone else was doing it easily.

anyway now im already thinking about what i want to do differently for ARRL Field Day next year and also looking at some of the SOTA stuff because a buddy of mine does activations and says the contacts come surprisingly fast when youre the one people are hunting. anyone else do both contesting and SOTA? feels like kind of different worlds but maybe the skills overlap more than i think?

congrats on the first CQ WW, 80 contacts with a dipole at 35 feet is genuinely not bad at all, dont let anyone tell you otherwise. the propagation during that contest was a little weird on some bands too so you probably did better than conditions deserved.

on your SOTA question -- yeah they're pretty different vibes but the operating efficiency skills definitely carry over. in contesting you learn to be quick with your exchange and not waste time, and that matters a lot on a SOTA activation when youre running on battery and the weather might be turning and you just want to get your 4 contacts and maybe chase a few more if the pile-up cooperates. the main thing thats different is the pace. SOTA can be kind of feast or famine depending on whether youve spotted yourself on SOTAwatch and whether chasers are paying attention that day. Field Day is somewhere in between honestly -- its more of a team thing usually and the scoring rewards operating time and efficiency in a way thats good for learning. if you havent done a Field Day yet definitely find a local club that runs one, going as a club before you try to run your own setup makes a lot of sense.

SOTA got me back into actually enjoying radio after years of just having a license and doing nothing with it. the activation side is fun but honestly i started as a chaser first just working people from home and that was a good way to ease in. you dont need anything fancy, just watch the spots and call when someone activates a summit near you. eventually you want to go activate yourself though, theres something about carrying your own gear up a hill and making it work that feels really satisfying in a way that sitting at your desk doesnt quite replicate.

one thing i'd say is upcoming -- keep an eye on the ARRL calendar for the next few months, theres usually a decent contest most weekends if you want to keep practicing. SS Phone is coming up and the exchange is simpler than CQ WW so it might be a good one to try while youre still getting comfortable with contest operating.