ARRL 10-Meter Contest
Call: ND0C
Operator(s): ND0C
Station: ND0C
Class: SO SSB QRP
QTH: MN
Operating Time (hrs): 14.5
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
CW:
SSB: 416 95
-------------------
Total: 416 95 Total Score = 79,040
Club: Minnesota Wireless Assn
Comments:
This is still one of my favorite contests, going back to when they started it
and before they had a QRP class. (Back then my scores got lumped in with the
rest.)
Due to some family activities I had to miss some prime time on Sunday, but I
still had a blast. I went "retro" just for fun this time - dusted
off the old Argonaut with its pile-up busting 3 watts. The VFO is a bit
touchy, especially on 10 meters - and there is some backlash. (Some of today's
operators don't know what backlash is!) This is real seat-of-the-pants
contesting - real radio!
This contest is different every year - and you just take what 10 meters will
give you. Overall conditions were pretty darn good. EU opened very early, but
the band wasn't long enough to hear any Russians - at least not here. I ended
up with 55 DX mults but only 25 US states - pretty disappointing. The band
just stayed pretty long, and it is very difficult to work backscatter with 3
watts!
I was able to do some running, but pretty much just state-side - CA and the
adjacent states. Seemed like the CQP at times, and with all the activity from
Minnesota (Go MWA!), they probably thought it was the MnQP!
I didn't hear much from Oceania - in fact I never heard a single ZL, but again
I missed some time Sunday afternoon. There seemed to be a lot of activity from
Japan - good to see!
I find two things that are "interesting":
1. Stations that just refuse to stand by for a station when the DX gives a
"partial", e.g. "the November Delta...". They just
keeping calling on top of folks. It continues to amaze me "who is the
1?" and a "2" calls. Does numerical proximity make it OK?
2. Stations IDing with "/QRP" - what's the point, other than
slowing things down and making your call a lot longer?
Thanks to everybody for pulling me out of the QRM and QSB, as well as putting
up with calls that at time were slightly off frequency.
The ND0C "super-station":
Ten Tec Argonaut 509 with 3 watts out - a museum piece but still a pretty
good little radio, especially for its vintage. (This is the radio I bought in
1980 when I went exclusively QRP. It served me very well for over 3 decades -
I love it and won't ever sell it. I guess I'm a sentimental fool!)
Cycle 24 TX38 tribander at 40' - 4 elements on 10
73,
Randy, ND0C
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
______________________________________________
3830 mailing list
3830@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/3830
|