1996 ARRL TEN METER CONTEST
Call used: K7UP Location: New Mexico
Category: Multi Operator Mode: MIXED Power: 1500
Callsign of Operators: K7UP, W5FX, KN5H + net
Exchanged Information: K7UP RST NM
Hours of Operation: 23:34
band QSOs points mults
CW 244 976 54 (39 states/VEs + 15 countries)
SSB 514 1028 59 (38 states/VEs + 21 countries)
TOTAL 758 2004 113 SCORE: 226,452
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We started on time Friday night, 5 PM local. After working the locals, all
2 of them and VA3VV, it was time for VK/ZL. VK9NS complimented the S.
Pacific activity. By 6:30 PM local (0130 Z) Mike, W5FX showed up. He
immediately discovered what was to be known in the future as the 'Texas
Run', a nice sporadic E opening to our East. The 'Texas TH7' at 40 ft was
the only antenna that would work as switching to the 5 ele at 85' killed
the pile-up. A lack-luster Friday night ended with 82 QSOs.
Laziness postponed Saturday morning's operation till 15Z, 8 AM local. S&P
(search & poach) produced S. America and not much else. All day Saturday
was flat with Mike, W5FX and I trading off and working very little.
Finally, the Texas Run started at the same time as Friday night, 0140Z. We
managed 130 QSOs in about 3 hours. Not great but good considering we didnt
even make that many ALL DAY. At 10 PM local (0500Z) Saturday was finished
with a dismal 330 QSOs.
Mike, 'FX warned me that Sunday may be bad. Not only that but he had chores
to do and calling CQ on a dead band wasnt one of them. I managed to be at
the rig at 6:30 AM local (1330Z) Sunday morning. Thats was too early but
managed a few here and there. Band opened to Georgia, had a small GA run,
then S&P. Band finally opened at 9:30 AM (1630Z) to W1. Had a nice CW run
and forced myself to go to SSB to get mults. At 10:30 AM (1730Z), the East
coast closed just as fast as it opened but not after about 65 QSOs and some
badly needed W1 and W2 ssb mults. Almost immediately after the east coast
vanished, the west coast opened. From 10:30 am (1730Z) till 12 noon (19Z)
worked about 80 w6's, mostly on phone. Kept thinking Mike should have been
there cause the rates were good and I needed relief. At 12 noon (19Z) it
closed down again and I waited and hoped for another opening to occur.
Wasnt sure which coast would pop in but needed more W3, W4 on SSB. Nice to
have LA4PAA answer a CQ at 12:44 pm (1944Z). Never thought would work
Europe on 10! The band finally opened to W1 and W2 again about 12:50 pm
(1950Z) and worked some good stuff on CW (VE2 and 4U1UN) before it closed
down in only 20 min. Now the west coast was once again back open. By now it
was 1:20 pm (2020Z) and I hadnt gotten out of the chair yet. Got close to
calling W5FX and getting him to drive up from El Paso but figured as soon
as he showed up the band would really die. By 2030Z California was booming
in. It stayed open till then end. I worked about 220 more QSOs, back and
forth between SSB and CW, mostly SSB, in that 3 hour 40 min period with
rates up to 4 a minute at times. Managed to snatch mults from the cluster
between CQing. Also talked a lot of mults into going to CW for a QSO.
Highlight was having JA1YXP answer CW CQ at 3:40 pm (2240Z) and JH2BCN
answer a SSB CQ with 20 minutes left in the contest. VR6TY on SSB was nice
too. Both the JAs were loud and I was beaming straight at them, no weird
skew path. Was anticipating more of them but nothing.
Next year shall be better. K7UP says we need a low dipole for high angle,
close in stuff. That is certain as I called Arizona stations forever with no
luck. Also would be real nice to have the low tribander, "The Texas TH7",
to be rotatable.
Thanks to all for all the contacts. See you in the NAQP.
73 de Hose KN5H
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