[3830] ARRLDX SSB N2RJ SOAB LP

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                    ARRL DX Contest, SSB

Call: N2RJ
Operator(s): N2RJ
Station: N2RJ

Class: SOAB LP
QTH: NJ
Operating Time (hrs): 34.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:   20    20
   80:   53    33
   40:  207    57
   20:  398    77
   15:  369    75
   10:  102    40
-------------------
Total: 1149   302  Total Score = 1,036,464

Club: Frankford Radio Club

Comments:

HOLY MOLY! What a contest!

Entered as LP because the amp quit last week and attempts to fix were in vain.

OK a few changes for me, most notably topband. I have ears but no transmit, so
I took some advice from ON4UN's low band DXing and I also thanked John on air.
(How cool is THAT?)  Having never used topband in a contest before it was
something new, and definitely a challenge for me.

My MonstIR is still missing half an element support tube (D2) because the high
winds and a tree took it down. High on the list of stuff to be fixed when it
warms up. But the beauty of it was I was able to reconfigure the antenna and
get it working properly for the test. I was quite surprised I was getting good
signal reports despite the handicap. 

15 meters was definitely the star of the show! Oh my god I don't think I have
ever seen 15 this good. Mind you I've only been active in contesting since 2006
(licensed in '98). But 10 meters definitely brought some great stuff (tm) with
it too! Even the most common mults - G, F, I, DL etc were piled up on. But I
also managed to work ST, TK, 3V, 5B, ZS, J3, J7, SV9 and alot of SA/NA. Mike
SV9CVY was simply the loudest from EU. 10 was simply rockin'!

JAs and the Asiatic Russia were also plentiful on 15 and 20... in fact Sunday
morning when I was calling EU, the JAs and Asiatic Russians were going neck and
neck with them! 15 was open better than 20, and 10 was open like 20 usually is.
I hope it gets better. Now I know why people want the spots to return.

Other highlights - 6 band sweeps! A lot of 5 banders and 4 banders as well. ZL
on 15. KH2 was a brand new one for me although I had worked them from 9Y
before. But lots and lots of band fills. 

Need more sleep and/or a better sleep strategy next time. My XYL found me
asleep in the chair at 11PM on Saturday night. Not fun. Then again, we have 5
month old triplets in the house so it's not like we've been getting any sleep
at all.

The most important members of my contest "team" even if they didn't contest (3
out of 4 don't have a callsign) - my wonderful XYL who took care of the
triplets all weekend, and of course the kids themselves who provided motivation
to soldier on.

Ol' Sol is WAKING UP! Here's to more SUNSPOTS!

Thanks for all the Qs!


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