[3830] ARRL June VHF NR5M(N1XS) Limited Multi-Op HP

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                    ARRL June VHF QSO Party

Call: NR5M
Operator(s): N1XS
Station: NR5M

Class: Limited Multi-Op HP
QTH: Hempstead, Texas
Operating Time (hrs): 25

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
    6: 1314   240
    2:   71    40
  222:           
  432:   20    13
  903:           
  1.2:    4     4
  2.3:           
  3.4:           
  5.7:           
  10G:           
  24G:           
-------------------
Total: 1409   297  Total Score = 426,789

Club: Central Texas DX and Contest Club

Comments:

Thanks to the ops who made the most with  a station that was anything but ready
to compete in this contest.  

We HOPED to run high power stations for 6, 2, 432, and 1296 using terrestrial
propagation modes as well as 2, 432, and 1296 EME.  We wound up with high power
setups on 6, 2 EME and 1296 EME only.  Everything else was either low power or
nothing.

We started with a 6 run that was spoiled with very high noise on the stack. 
For the first 7 hours we played the single 7el YAGI as the stack was unusable
the entire time.  About 8PM local (0100z) the noise went away and the stack
played beautifully throughout the rest of the test.  I appologize to those that
tried to reach us early in the contest but we were just deaf as a post at that
time.

We made a limited number of low power 2m and 432 contacts during the first day
and night but the focus was on 6 and trying to get that band straightened out.

Next morning I was determined to get the 2m EME array into play.  From moonrise
(about 12:45z) till 15:00 I worked on getting the EME array going as I was going
to have to teach some other ops how to work the JT-65 setup.

I spent over 2 hours searching for signals and calling CQ (with them looking
over my shoulder) before I discovered that while the software was dutifully
tracking the moon snd reporting that we were "on it," I had failed to turn the
rotators on.  We were tracking the front gate of the ranch!

There is just no accounting for (my)stupidity!

After turning the rotators on we made about 25 2m EME contacts over the next
handful of hours.  Thanks to Laurent (W0MM) and Colin (KU5B) who trained in
less that an hour and then did a great job during bad moon condx.

Next I turned (my now laughable talents) to the task of getting us on 1296 EME.
 Since we had never accurately calibrated the tracking of the 5 meter dish, we
were shocked to discover that we could actually hear our dashes off the moon. 
Even more of a shock was G4CCH's answer to Eric's (NM5M)very first CQ off the
moon from NR5M.  Boy, oh boy, were we going to clean up on that band/mode. 
Unfortunatly, we made nary another 1296 EME contack!  Seems that by the time we
were on the moon on 1296, Europe's moon was setting and people were elsewhere.
Oh, well.

Anyway, we had lotsa fun and I now know what is left to do for the next test. 
I also know first hand that it is REALLY important to turn the moon tracking
system on before attempting to make EME contacts!

George, NR5M


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