[3830] CQ160 CW K9MMS Single Op LP

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                    CQ 160-Meter Contest, CW

Call: K9MMS
Operator(s): K9MMS
Station: K9MMS

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: IL
Operating Time (hrs): 22

Summary:
Total:  QSOs = 582  State/Prov = 58  Countries = 10  Total Score = 90,168

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

Very difficult operating conditions -- a head cold hit full force Friday and
Saturday.  Quit early both nights -- just could not stay awake.

Working all 50 states, plus DC, made it worth the effort.  Heard several EU
stations, but I was not able to make my LP signal heard in Europe through the
pile ups.  Longest DX worked was ZL6QH -- fortunately 'QH had a good receiving
antenna and ears.

Frustrating that some U.S. stations do not stay out of the DX window for their
CQ runs.  Also frustrating that some stations seem to contually call CQ at
one-second intervals and do not bother to LISTEN more for replies.  Encountered
a few 'gators as well.  More than once, a big gun took over my frequency after I
had finally got a CQ run going -- never having bothered to ask QRL?  Sometimes,
they would move when I complained -- others would not budge or acknowledge. 
This used to be called the Gentleman's band!  What's happening?

Last state needed was ND.  After much searching, I just could not find a North
Dakota station.  It was looking like I would miss WAS by one.  Then, shortly
before giving up on a very slow CQ run, on the second day, with the band having
faded out to just a few signals left, suddenly NT0V answered one of my CQs --
with a 10 dB over S9 signal.  That was very amazing.  I thought it was not
possible -- I thought I might be imagining things.  After closing the station, I
checked QRZ callsign database, as a sanity check, just to see if it verified the
call as being in ND.  I guess I had not fallen asleep at the rig afterall!

Very difficult to find and hold a frequency for CQ runs.  Fifty-percent of QSOs
were via S&P.

A very enjoyable contest, as always.  160 is TOPS!

73,
    Gary


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