Stewed in Oregon

[LarryX Tyree contractor for brentc]

This was fun!  It felt like "activity night" on TopBand.  It was
nice that the band wasn't so crowded and it was possible to find a
clear frequency to run without having to go above 1850.
 
The DX window was mostly full of Europeans - but I was having
problems hearing them with local QRN and QSB.  Did manage to
work about 6 of them - but at one point I think I had a pileup calling
me but only could pull one or two out.  My apologies to OK1D??
who almost made it - but the QRN and QSB just didn't allow it.
 
Worked several JAs on the first morning and slept through the opening
on Sunday.
 
It was fun exchanging the grids - I had a USA map so I could see where
people were.  Fun to get the occasional 10 pointer from a W4 or VE1.
A European and a JA were about the same point value from here.  If
I had been awake for the JA run at 1100 - I would perhaps have doubled
my score!

Those 10 pointers provided the rush that multipliers provide in other
contests.  I guess K8CC didn't get very many of them being in the 
middle of the country.

Final score was 800 points.  It just got too slow after 0800Z and I was 
too tired to stay awake - woke up after the contest was over.  I missed
some time in the evening helping out with the kids.

It seemed my desire to exchange RSTs was unanimously rejected - so I 
gave in and just sent the grid like most everyone else.  I guess we
can eliminate the RST all together next time.  It appears some of the 
low power stations did really well point wise.  Perhaps that is the
way to go - even more so if you have noise and have a hard time 
hearing the people calling you anyway.

Thanks to everyone who participated - it was very gratifying to hear
all the activity.  I think this contest will attract more attention
next year and has its own place in the lineup of 160 meter contests.

73 Tree N6TR (operator at K7RAT - the Boring Amateur Radio Club)
tree at contesting.com

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