[3830] ARRL10 N2CU SO CW HP

[n2cu at arrl.net]

                     ARRL 10-Meter Contest
                    
Call: N2CU
Operator(s): N2CU
Station: N2CU

Class: SO CW HP
QTH: WNY
Operating Time (hrs): 17:45
 

Summary:
 Mode     QSOs  Mults
----------------------
   CW:   1332    128
  SSB:              
----------------------
Total:   1332    128  =  682,496

Club: WNYDXA

Comments:

FT1000MP, SB-201, TH6DXX 50'

Fun? WOW! This contest goes into the books as one of my favorites. Besides
being a personal best, I was able to hold a run frequency for hours with rates
I haven't seen in other contests.

I entered this contest season knowing that my operating time would be limited
due to other obligations. Having missed both CQ WW weekends, I wanted to put in
some kind of effort in the 10m test. Last year I won the section using my old
TS-820S so with the new radio (FT1000MP) I wanted to make sure I did even
better.

Friday night I was at the meeting of our local club (WNYDXA) so I didn't get on
the air until around 0300Z for just a dozen QSO's. No JA runs that night!

I awoke early on Saturday, had breakfast, and headed down to the shack. Tuning
around I found some very weak Europeans coming in. Made my first QSO around
1115Z. Tuned some more, called a few; no luck. Killed some time until 1200Z
when everything went crazy. I found a clear spot at 28006 and called CQ. Had an
initial hour of 53 followed by 118, 115, 125, and 107. Followed that with two
more hours of 90+. I stayed on that frequency for 7 1/2 hours before having to
QRT to take my son to hockey practice. No frequency wars except for a Russian
that just started calling CQ on me early on. I held my ground and after five
minutes or so he went away. It was clear sailing after that. Returning from
practice was well after sunset so, No JA Runs That Night!

Sunday morning I fired up the rig at 1200Z again and began looking for a clear
frequency. Settled in on 28027 and began calling CQ. Not as good as the day
before but had hours of 73, 96, and 89. Operated until around 1630 when I had
to QRT for... you guessed it, hockey practice. Came home at 2000Z and told the
wife I would be finished in a couple of hours (more or less).  At 2023 the amp
blew a cork so it was pretty much S&P the rest of the way. Did work a few JA's
but... NO JA RUNS THAT NIGHT!

A few comments:
1. Freq. Wars - Very few to speak of and when someone inadvertently called CQ,
they left when they realized the freq. was occupied. I should say the US hams
did. The Europeans? That's another story. My LID award goes to LY1D* who
plopped down about 150Hz above me and would not move for anything and to OM3R*
who did likewise, but when I slid lower 200Hz he did the same, probably to
avoid QRM from above him. These both happened during 100+ hours and I saw my
rate meter drop to about half.

2. Big Sig - AE0Q on Sunday. He was 50 over! No kidding.

3. Logging software - Had three problems. Couldn't log KC7JEF/mmR1. WH7K showed
up as Kure and couldn't force it in as Hawaii. At 1295 QSO's, I could no longer
enter the contact. Nothing hung up, but hitting the RETURN key did nothing. Had
to shut down and re-boot. Everything was OK after that.

4. WAS - Kentucky called in on Sunday afternoon to complete a 10m WAS.

5. Dupes - Decided long ago that the best practice was to work everyone just in
case the previous contact got busted. However, several stations called me three
times! Ended up with 20 of them.

6. Good clean fun!

CU in the next one.

Tom N2CU <><



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