[3830] ARRL 10 W2UP SO CW LP

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                    ARRL 10-Meter Contest

Call: W2UP
Operator(s): W2UP
Station: W2UP

Class: SO CW LP
QTH: CO
Operating Time (hrs): 23

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   CW:  855   124
  SSB:           
-------------------
Total:  855   124  Total Score = 424,080

Club: Grand Mesa Contesters of Colorado

Comments:

That was fun, most of the contest.  I much preferred when the band was closed to
Europe, as it was much easier to get some rate going.  I had a tough time
working over the east coast wall to EU, but did better on day 2, when most of
the EU CQers were already worked by the east coast.

I operated from my urban condo using a K3 and dipole on the balcony.  Biggest
problem is the Stucco-faced building contains wire mesh all the way around, and
my antenna is only 5 ft from it.  This causes SWR to be 5:1 at a minimum, and I
have a real tough time pushing and pulling RF through the building to the NW,
making JA tough.  It's bad enough that the Denver TV towers are only 7 miles
west, but we get no reception with rabbit ears due to being in a Faraday Cage.

So, with a 5:1 SWR, using about 75 ft of RG8X, I’m getting about 25W to the
antenna. I really should be in the QRP category, as my ERP is probably less
than KR2Q's :-) I also hate to admit to being a low power alligator, but
that’s the case due to a high noise level.

Speaking of KR2Q, I started the contest S&P'ing, but after hearing Doug CQing
with decent results, I tried it, too.  Had some pretty good runs, best around
1800Z, with a best 10 minutes of 132/hr and a best hour of 79.  Not bad... Was
nice to work all my FRC brethren back east with big signals.

Other comments in no particular order:

1.  You know you've heard too many cut numbers when you log Tennessee as 09.
2.  I tuned by, without waiting or calling, anyone who signed TU as their
call.
3.  It's frustrating when calling EUs and after they work out the other
callers, he CQs in your face when you're the only one left calling.
4.  If the purpose of adding XE states as mults was to stimulate XE activity,
it’s not working, at least on CW.  
5.  Lot of bad bug-sent CW in the test (wonder how skimmer handled it).  One W1
sent me 599QK, and after 3 repeats, I finally realized it was 599MA K.  It
prepared me for the second 599Q, which was only a few minutes later.
6.  Worked all states except nearby KS.  Called K5CM for 30 minutes without
success for next-to-last OK.  He finally heard me during the last hour.
7.  Best ears award goes to NK7U for my only OR, worked on backscatter.  Also
had a tough time with WA and VE7.


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