AB5LX 10M SO/LP/Mixed Score

[J.E. Goldsberry]

Call Used: AB5LX
Operator: AB5LX
Section: TX
Equipment: Kenwood 850, NA version 8.09 (from FD), and 3 ele. tribander at
56 ft. 100 
Category: Single Operator, Low Power, Mixed 
Time: 20 hrs.

Mode    QSO's   Sections        Countries       Total Multipliers
=================================================================
CW      203     35              14              49               
SSB     156     27              12              39
=================================================================
Totals: 359     62              26              88      Score: 98,912

        This is my first attempt in this contest.  I nearly totally missed
the first night because I was out Christmas shopping.  I did manage to work
4 locals about 0430z or so.  
        To make up for lost time, I got up at 6:30 A.M. to work.  Had 2
10/hr. hours.  After 8:30 A.M., 10 started to come alive a bit, giving out
FM, KP3, and a ZS on CW; and many South American multipliers on phone.  I
had a small run of about 15 stations about 17z to the East.  I worked many
FL and OH stations, including the odd DE and ZF2 multipliers.  Went to CW
after that to work 5 LU's.  Went to phone after that and worked the same old
mixture of South Americans and 4-landers.  None of the 8 PY stations could
do any CW.  At 2141, worked V31MP on phone, and moved him to CW.  Came back
and worked 2 XE stations, and then my first ZL at 2301z.  Worked 8 ZL's.
Heard K5XI (150 mi. South of me) working VK's by the dozen, but for some
reason, they were only about S2 here, and my attempts to move them up failed. 
        Thinking that Sunday morning would be the same as Saturday morning,
I slept in until 9:15 A.M.  When I turned on the radio, I was surprised to
hear that the band was full.  I got on 28.010 and worked numerous people to
my Northeast including, an odd HP3 and CG1.  The CG1 was as close as I ever
got to working Europe.  I did hear an EA1 on, though.  My heart skipped a
beat when I heard the G4 part of G4VXE/VE3's call.  Too bad that it was only
Ontario.  I spent 15 minutes calling K0HA in NE, but finally got through to him.
        The propagation to the direct North was horrible.  It took 15
minutes for K0HA, and WB0O, W0SD, and a Kansas station couldn't hear me at
all.  I S&P for about an hour waiting for some kind of an opening to come up
from the Northwest.  Finally about 1910z, the band is filled with WA and OR
stations.  I work N6TR, K7NPN, and VE7FJE S&P before I realize what is
really happening.  I find a clear spot on 28.030, and work some 13 people
from BC, WA, and OR.  Had the nice surprise of ZD8DEZ calling me off of the
back of the beam. (How come that never happens in DX contests such as CQ WW
and ARRL DX?)  After he called, the run died.  S&P some more just poking
around for something intresting.  About 21z, I come back to 28.010, and work
some NW guys.  Nice to work W7SE (WY) and VE6WQ (AB) in consecutive
contacts.  Moved both of them to phone.  That run died at 2119, though.   
        The band produced nothing really fantastic after that.  I did hear
VK2ANJ S5, but he couldn't hear me.  Had a really great time.  I don't
consider this bad for a first try.  

I worked a surprisingly high number of 5-landers.  I also worked a bunch of
4, 7, and 8 landers.  Only worked 5 1-landers.  

Signals to note: K5XI (during daytime) , N5JA, K5AM, N6MU, N6TR, and VE7FJE

I can't wait to see what my first sunspot cycle will produce.  I worked
about 20 new states for my 5BWAS.  Now, I wonder if I can get them confirmed?

73, Jason AB5LX 
             


jegold at inu.net



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