[3830] ARRL 10 KG5U SO CW QRP

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                    ARRL 10-Meter Contest

Call: KG5U
Operator(s): KG5U
Station: KG5U

Class: SO CW QRP
QTH: TX
Operating Time (hrs): 15:30

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   CW:  417    67
  SSB:    0     0
-------------------
Total:  417    67  Total Score = 111,488

Club: Central Texas DX and Contest Club

Comments:

Ah....the ARRL Western Hemisphere 10-Meter Contest (at least that's the view
from my house)

Saturday morning, about 1645Z, I heard 6/7's starting to come in.  Found an open
spot and began CQ'ing.  At one point, my rate meter was 132 -- don't recall ever
seeing it that high.  Sunday wasn't as productive--too bad there's not a way for
passing stations to let you know they hear you but worked you already.  Worked
only one Africa: V51.  No Europe, Asia, or Australia.  Worked a (the?) ZL on
Saturday afternoon with the beam pointing east-south-east (Did I really work him
LP on 10?).

Spent a lot of off-time Saturday trying to get my computer to key the radio.  I
got it working during WW CW.  But, then, Friday evening, when I powered up the
computer and radios for this contest, it was steady keydown.  I made up another
control/keying cable and that didn't key the radio.  I made up a separate keying
cable and that still didn't key the radio.  Meanwhile, during the contest, I'm
entering calls and exchanges on the computer, hitting the appropriate memory
buttons on my CMOS Superkeyer II and using the paddles for every QSO.  The keyer
wasn't without faults:  the CQ button was bouncing (sticking?) and sending two
concatenated CQ strings.  While making up keying cable #4, I replaced the CQ
pushbutton momentary switch.  THEN, I noticed my footswitch, which I had wired
up in parallel with the CQ button, was also bouncing causing CQ string
concatenation.  I found that if I tapped it lightly, it sent one CQ string 90%
of the time.  Sunday, the TU button began sending two TU messages in a row.  I
found if I came down on the button with my finger with alacrity and aplomb, it
would send only one TU string 90% of the time. 

And, of course, this weekend was perfect weather for climbing the tower and
fixing the intermittent in the Force 12 C3E....Had to go to tune position on the
Omni VI about a dozen times and run power up until the power broke over whatever
it was and SWR dropped to normal.  Fun....
 
Sigh...My station's falling apart while I watch! 

Upside this weekend was that band conditions were so poor, I took off a couple
of hours Sunday afternoon to mow the front and back lawns, rake/sweep leaves and
bag 'em, and then clean the pool.  I figure I missed out on 36 Q's.

I hear this sunspot cycle's low may be a short before the climb to the next
peak.  One can only hope.

73,
dale, kg5u


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