[3830] ARRL 10 N1DD(N1CC) SO Mixed QRP

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                    ARRL 10-Meter Contest

Call: N1DD
Operator(s): N1CC
Station: N1CC

Class: SO Mixed QRP
QTH: 
Operating Time (hrs): 10

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   CW:  142    51
  SSB:   58    28
-------------------
Total:  200    79  Total Score = 54,036

Club: North Texas Contest Club

Comments:

Before the contest I decided to operate QRP.  The NTX low-power gang is too big
and has much better antennas than I do for me to compete and win.  Change is
usually better, and there are some suprises when you do.

Very complex propagation introduced another handicap.  Did not hear or work a
single 1-land station.  Little or no probagation to populated areas during the
daytime hours.  Everyone had the same issues for most of us.  East and West
coast guys had a heyday for QSO count, and we could not hear either end of any
QSO that happened in that way.  Saturday morning EU's not audible here, OK on
Sunday.  No JA's on Saturday, plentiful on Sunday.

Now, I feel pretty good about my 200 QSOs ... and by patience I worked almost
every station that I called.  Some, the power difference made not possible. 
Never expected to run, but had a 10-QSO run on Saturday morning... during the
contest worked ALL continents with some effort. D4C pounded in most of both
days, little else heard that was consistant.

Running 5 Watts - FT-990 will adjust down to 4.8W output on 10M, won't go that
low on 160-15 wihtout an attenuator in line.  The C3E at 40 feet is enough
antenna for 10 Meters and low power most of the time.  During a challenging
period of propagation this weekend I seldom did not get through to those that I
called.  The degree of "alligator"  behavior wasn't evident to me.

Late Sunday, when the band became more cooperative, Mother Nature dealt me a
major thunderstorm that lasted close to an hour over my location .. so I
misssed some I might have gotten otherwise.  When the lightning crashes on 10M
go 40 over 9 -- it's time to retreat!

I enjoyed being QRP.  Will I try other contests?  Good Question!

73, Jim


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