Russian DX Becomes Major World Shootout For WRTC Qualifying; Most Team Leader Slots In Play

By Jamie Dupree NS3T  radio-sport.net 
Posted March 16, 2008

It's March Madness in this year's Russian DX Contest, as for almost the entire world, this is the final qualifier for the 2010 World Radiosport Team Championships in Russia.

"The contest will be the biggest one of my life," says Kevin Stockton N5DX, who is in a tight battle with Richard King K5NA for the second qualifying slot in NA #3 in the US.

"It is really amazing that after all of these contests it will come down to 24 hours," Stockton told radio-sport.net.

About 600 miles to the southwest, K5NA will see if he can use his years of experience to overcome Stockton's youth.

"I expect Kevin to be as competitive as he can possibly be," King said last week.

"But I started this WRTC thing and I will finish it."

Right now, King leads Stockton by a very slim margin, which might be erased by last year's results from the CQ WW contests, but only barely.

"Virtually a tie," Stockton guesses.

That storyline is being repeated around the world, as operators try to figure out just how many points they need to qualify for a WRTC team leader slot, and whether Russian DX is going to determine their fate.

For example, there is Bernd Langer VK2IA, who is in second place right now in the OC #1 region behind Robert McCormack ZL1AIH.

Langer will be on as VK9AA from the Cocos Islands, hoping to jump up in the standings.

"Cocos is a fair bit closer to Europe/Russia than VK2 and I am expecting to have a few openings on the high bands," Langer said before leaving for VK9, where he has done a number of CQ WW efforts.

Langer's big advantage right now is that he only has five qualifying scores, which puts him in a strong position to possibly win a spot in Russia.

In Europe, the maneuvering will be all the more important, since Russian DX typically picks up a decent amount of participation there.

One of the many on the lookout for a decent showing is Andy Cook G4PIQ, who for now is in second place in EU #1.

"Yes - I hope to be on for the Russian DX though I also hope it won't be essential for me to do it to gain a WRTC place assuming that nothing too unexpected happens with my entries for CQWW SSB and CW," Cook told radio-sport.net.

Russian DX is worth a max of 910 WRTC points, the most after CQ WW, which was a 950 point test.

Back in the US, one of the toughest qualifying regions is on the East Coast in EU #1, where last year, Randy Thompson K5ZD grabbed the 910 points.

"Even though it looks like I will earn a qualifying bid for WRTC, I want to take every opportunity to increase my chances," Thompson said.

K5ZD is locked in a tight struggle for three WRTC slots with K1ZM, W2GD, N2NT, K1LZ and others.

In NA #2, the big unknown is whether current second place Scott Robbins W4PA will find his way back to a radio or not, and end his self-imposed contest exile. Robbins is currently in second place in that division.

Out West in NA #4, Dan Craig N6MJ will try again for the top West Coast score in Russian DX, as he closes in on leader Mitch Mason K7RL.

"I think my chances of finishing in the top two are very good right now," said Craig, who will again operate from W6YI in Southern California, where he took 910 WRTC points a year ago in NA #4.

"As long as I have a decent showing in RDXC I should be good to go."

Mason told radio-sport.net that he won't be on for Russian DX.

"My contesting endeavors have been seriously curtailed this last year due to family and work commitments," Mason said.

"I know that's not a good idea given how close the scores are between me, N6MJ, and K6XX. However, I've got my fingers crossed for another zone 3 win from last October's CQ WW SSB test," said Mason.