ARRL SS Phone 10 Meter SOLP Score/Sad Story at WB4HFL

[HENRYPOL at aol.com]

WB4HFL, single op, low power, single band (10 meter only) [PVRC member]
8 QSOs, 2 mults, for a total score of 32 points  (Hey, I know some of you are
laughing, but, so far, no one else has posted more than 8 QSOs on 10!)

You're thinking..., 10 meter, single band, single op, low power..., YOU GOTTA
BE KIDDING!  Yes Virginia, the band WAS DEAD!  I was there calling CQ a lot
(using TS850's optional DRU and my repeat circuit).  Just to let you know how
bad 10 really was, I only heard two DX stations, an LU and CX, the whole
weekend!; and with 4 elements at 45ft fixed South. 

Let's see, I missed only........ everything,.... except NC and VT!!!

Score comments:

Let's see, at first look, I had 8 QSOs.  Now after reading about the exchange
sequence problem, I suppose I only have two valid contester QSOs (K1CLN &
KS4XG).  The other 6 were with local hams who stopped by to say hello or
wanted to know what contest was going on.  I did manage to obtain all of the
proper information for the exchange, so I logged them. 

Milk crate:

Listened around Friday night and was encouraged by hearing several W1s and
W8s in local ragchews.  So, spent Saturday morning and early afternoon with
the family running errands.  Kept asking wife if there was anything else I
could do; I just hate it when she remembers that I promised to do something,
right in the middle of a contest.  Got to the shack about 2115, and the band
was DEAD!  And it didn't get any better all night.  So, with the automatic
CQer running almost continuously, with an occasional scan up and down the
band, I managed only TWO contacts (locals) by 0400.  On a positive note, I
finished reading all the articles from the latest NCJ and CQ Contest, and
several other magazines that were laying around.  I found that it was
difficult to try and concentrate on watching anything on TV due to the
constant 10 sec white noise blasts between the DRU's "CQ Contest..."
transmissions.

Sunday was not much better.  I did manage one contact outside of NC.  Kept
thinking that maybe the band would open sometime to somewhere, but never
heard it.  Only heard a few short meteor scatter bursts around 0230 Monday.

High point: first and only contact outside of NC - VT (Thanks K1CLN)

Low point: rest of contest!

Hope things get better in a couple of weeks for the 10 Meter Contest.  See
you then?

73,
Henry Pollock - WB4HFL
henrypol at aol.com

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/3830faq.html
Submissions:              3830 at contesting.com
Administrative requests:  3830-REQUEST at contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-3830 at contesting.com
Sponsored by:             Akorn Access, Inc & KM9P