1. May Low Power Sprint, CW
K4BAI 208 42 8,736 LP 4.0 hours SO1R
KU8E 181 40 7,240 LP 3.0 SO2R
N4GG 150 38 5,700 LP 3.0 SO2R
N4PN and N5VI were both also active, but haven't posted their claimed
scores yet. I definitely made a mistake in not getting my SO2R setup
ready for this contest. I had it all disconnected since taking so much
of my gear to NQ4I's in Feb. and March. Did reconnect it all (but the
filters) for the QRP contest on Monday. I didn't go to the effort on
Saturday since the Sprints in the past have been very frantic and there
was a minimum of benefit from SO2R. But, in this one, the conditions
were poor, everyone was required to run low power or QRP, and the
participation was down, probably due to its being a new contest with
only a little internet publicity. SO2R would definitely have helped
after the going got slow.
2. May 2005 Spartan Sprint CW.
K4BAI 88 88 2.0 hours 5W SO2R
SO2R definitely helped in this contest. 20 meters was open for short
skip just a few minutes after the contest started at 0200 UTC. Then, it
was mostly closed to stations east of TX/MN line. The west coast
stations were weaker than usual. 40 M was short early, but pretty soon
lengthened out so that stations closer than VA/TX were unworkable on
that band. I had the benefit of switching between the zepp, which
favors the north and northeast and the dipole, which favors the west and
north west. Again, the west coast signals were much weaker than they
have been and I couldn't hear some of them that midwest stations were
working. 80M seemed in good condition (N9NE in WI was a beacon on that
band.), but QRN was very strong and it wasn't possible to even identify
some stations working that band. Worked K4PQC and NT4XT (the new call
for W3DCG) in GA. No SC or AL stations heard.
This weekend brings the IN, OR, NV, and New England QSO Parties and the
annual Italian ARI DX Contest. Also, the MARAC CW County Hunters
Contest for 48 hours and the 10-10 club CW contest. Is that enough to
keep everyone busy? Hope everyone has a good week.
73,
John, K4BAI.
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