WORLD #2! Jon KL2A’s Post-Contest Debrief: 2nd only to Pro Soccer Legend, Fueled by DX Flagpoles!

WOW: WORLD #2 in the CQ WW DX CW Contest!

The airwaves have cooled down after the 48-hour sprint, and the results are historic! Greyline Founder Jon KL2A finished the CQ Worldwide DX CW Contest placing #2 in the World! (Single Operator, All Band) while operating under the callsign KP4AA (The scoreboard confirms the stellar performance: https://contestonlinescore.com/scoreboard/?contest_id=

The Friendly Rivalry: A Masterclass in Stamina

Who denied Jon the top spot? None other than the legendary European soccer manager and former professional footballer, Sergey Rebrov (UT4UDX), operating as P3X!

Jon and Sergey share a long history, having been friends and rivals across the radio waves since their teenage years. The fact is, a 48-hour CW contest is a brutal test of focus, endurance, and strategy—skills professional athletes like Sergey have honed over decades. It's a fitting loss to an opponent defined by incredible stamina. We extend massive congratulations to Sergey for a well-deserved

Verticals Rule: The Flagpole Community Performance

While Jon utilized the local contest station's high-performance antenna array this weekend, this World #2 finish underscores the superior performance of efficient vertical antennas for DX work.

We know this philosophy works because we've proven it with our own gear. Remember the legendary Cayman Islands operation (ZF2B) where Greyline verticals bested the giant Yagi on the tower? That is the vertical performance philosophy that drives every Greyline product.

Watch the ZF2B video proving Greyline verticals can be louder than BIG Yagis! [YouTube link - video proof!]

Finally, he reports it as a proud moment - our friend Jon KL2A who heard a massive number of Greyline Vertical and Flagpole Antennas on the air this weekend, running incredible DX from their own backyards.

"The signals from the Greyline team were all over the bands!" he said.

Now, we want to hear your story.

If you were operating with a Greyline Antenna, tell us about your CQ WW experience. Did you set a personal best score? Work any surprising DX? We want to feature the community's performance on the Greyline blog. Reach out for a short QSO with us, today.

➡️ Click Here to Share Your Flagpole Story & Photos (and be featured!)

Previous Interview and Greyline Blog Post:

If you’re reading this, you probably already feel the energy building. This weekend, November 29th and 30th, marks the legendary CQ Worldwide DX CW Contest, the Super Bowl of Morse code radio sports. The world's top operators will be on the air for 48 straight hours, and the bands are going to be absolutely spectacular.

One of own, Greyline Founder, Jon-KL2A who is preparing for the contest himself in Puerto Rico was invited to be interviewed recently to chat about the upcoming event, share some insight into the competitive field, and just soak up the incredible vibe. After all, Jon has known these contesters competing for Gold for decades. He tried to keep it smart, approachable, and truly exciting for everyone, regardless of where you are on your CW journey.

The Greyline Advantage: Flagpoles Across the Country

Here’s a fun fact I’m thrilled to share: A massive number of Greyline flagpoles are scheduled to be on the air across the country this weekend! 

From remote QTHs running QRP to high-power stations aiming for the top spots in their area, our community is well-represented. Seeing those vertical performers—hidden in plain sight and pulling in signals from all seven continents—is a massive point of pride for our team. Listen closely, and you might just hear one of our own pulling in a rare DX entity. 

For the Veterans: Let’s Go Hunting

This is your moment to shine. The bands will be saturated with the world’s best stations, often running high power, making this the best possible time to enjoy your skills and fill those logbook holes.

• Strategy: Don’t just look for multipliers; listen to the speed and style of the top guns. This is a free masterclass in professional radiosport operation.

• The Checklist: You know the drill—a planned attack is a successful one. Check out the known DX operations list beforehand, and use it as your hunting checklist to maximize your score: View the DX Operations List at NG3K

• The LIVE Online Scoreboard: The live scoreboard has entries from all over the planet. Watch as regional heroes battle it out for the leaderboard. There will be a Top 10 in the world and your region to. Bookmark The Contesting Online Scoreboard for the Friday-Sunday starting bell.

Good luck, and may the propagation be ever in your favor. 73!

For the Newbies: Your Invitation to the Game

If you're new to Morse code or contesting, please do not feel intimidated! This contest is one of the best learning opportunities of the year.

• Low-Stress Goal: Forget the score. Your only goal is to make three CW contacts during the 48 hours. That’s it!

• Listen First: Tune into 10m, 15m, 20m or 40m and just listen to the rapid-fire exchange. It will train your ear faster than any practice app.

• Seize the Moment: When you hear a strong station working contest mode, throw your callsign in there. The goal of every station is to log contacts, so they are generally quick and gracious with operators of all speeds. They will send your call, and the report "5nn8" and will expect you to send yours back to them. "5nnX (whatever zone you are in!). Get your RST and Zone and you’re in the log!

CHALLENGE FOR YA:

Send us an email with your callsign and station equipment. We want to get to know you and hear your story!

So many in the Greyline community will be on the air having a ball. We hope to work you too.

73 from Greyline