[3830] ARRL 10 N5LYG SO Mixed HP

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                    ARRL 10-Meter Contest

Call: N5LYG
Operator(s): N5LYG
Station: N5LYG

Class: SO Mixed HP
QTH: Texas
Operating Time (hrs): 9.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   CW:   10     7
  SSB:  155    45
-------------------
Total:  166    52  Total Score = 18,304

Club: 

Comments:

I arrive at the site around 11’ish on Friday morning.  I got the popup trailer
set up and was moving right along.  Next on the agenda are the antennas.  Two
shots and I have the 10m dipole up about 70’.  Next is the folded dipole. 
Two shots over a few other trees and I have folded up about 45’.  Now, I get
the station set up and get the generator fired up.  Ah, purrs like a cat.  

I stroll back to the trailer and fire up the amp.  Ah, heat from the amp on a
cool winter day.  Next is to check the SWR’s.  Did I read that right, flat or
close to it?  

Time to tune the amp.  Band select, check.  RF out of radio on low power,
check. Now for the ultimate rush in contest, watching the tubes light up as the
key is pushed.  A few turns here and a few turns there and we have QRO!  700
watts of unadulterated power.  

I look at my watch and notice I have about two hours before contest starting. 
I tune around the band.  Wait, did I hear something.  Tune back!  Wait, he say
Zulu Lima 6?  Can’t be, I said.  Wait, it is Zulu Lima 6.  What are the
chances of working New Zealand on 10m at 2300z during the winter?  Wait, I
remember Kilo Mike Five Victor Ida saying something that propagation could be
good that direction.  I screamed, November Five Lima Yankee Golf.   I listen
intently.  I hear “station with Yankee Golf come again.”  I screamed back,
November Five Lima Yankee Golf, you’re a 5 by 9 in Texas.  After working ZL6,
I felt this was going to be a good contest.  Boy was I wrong!

With about 20 minutes to go before the contest, I made a few other contacts. 
Oh, this is going to be a good contest.  10m is going to be open for a little
while after sunset.  Now with seconds before start, I wait for the first signs
of activity.  1800 cst, the contest has started.  I hear a few stations
calling.  I work them with ease.  That’s one in the log.  Now number two,
three, four and the number is rising.  Oh this is going to be a good contest.

Now, Alan shows up with the food for the weekend.  We do a little eyeball qso
for a while and make a few contacts here and there.  The band is starting to
die around 21:30.  We decide to hit the sack.

Next morning is here.  The air is cold but it’s time to heat up the airwaves
with 700 watts.  Lets rock and roll.  We work our way to 113 contacts by lunch
time.  Bands are acting strange.  I hear mostly Caribbean and South America but
not the stations they are working.  For some reason, Victor Ida keeps coming to
mind.  Alan and I go outside to start a fire and this is when the fun starts.

A park ranger pulls up and tells us the bad news about our spot.  You can’t
camp here during deer season. DOH!!  Ok, I was hoping for a miracle but one was
not happening today.  Well, the officer wanted to search my trailer for
whatever.  I gave the approval he needed.  Well, he walked out with my Smith
and Wesson 380.  He asked if there were others in the trailer.  Well, Alan had
his.  The officer retrieved the weapon and ran a check on them.  Fortunately,
neither was stolen, duh.  Well, he decided to write each of us a citation for
camping in a non-camping site during hunting season.  My internal reaction was,
this is not logical.  About an 1/8th of a mile down the road is a parking lot
where dirt bike users can get on the trails.  There’s a trail behind us,
there’s a trail across the road.  So, he was afraid of our safety from a high
powered rifle but not for some dirt bike riders.  I guess it was the antlers I
had on my pop up that would confuse a delusional hunter.

So, we packed it up and came on home.  So, this is probably the end of our 10m
activity in Sam Houston National Forest.  I do not want my pop up to be
confused for a 12 pt. buck.  Next year, we will go to Huntsville State Park.

I was able to do a little contesting on Sunday.  Thanks to all for the
contacts.

73,
Bill, N5LYG


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