Did CQM get wiped out or what?

[Alan Brubaker]

Did anyone operate in the CQM contest? It could not have been much fun
with a K index of 8 and an A index of 99. Me? I was busy putting up
a tower and antennas in the rain and wind. Fortunately the rain let up
toward noon but it was quite breezy when we hoisted up the beams. So
it appears that we will be QRV in the CQ WPX contest - listen for WJ7M
on 80 through 10 meters.

We did not finish up until around 7:30 Saturday evening. Later, after
I had dinner and had cleaned up a bit, I went back out to the shack
to hook up the coax and see what I could work in the contest. I
listened around on 20 and went back outside to make sure the antennas
had not fallen over! It did not sound like the contest was even going
on. Nary a signal from over the pole. I heard a weak JA4 calling
CQ test on CW - turned the beam toward JA and his signal came up.
Gave him NR 001, he gave me NR 061 - this was around 0430Z. Didn't
hear anyone else in the contest - not a single station from CIS.
Called a couple of CQs and another JA called me. NR 002. Called it an
night. Listened around a bit late Sunday morning and ran across N5CG
on 20 SSB. Gave him NR 03, he gave me NR 301. Don't know if he was in
it seriously or not. Again, I did not hear anyone else operating in
the contest at the time. Conditions have to get better .... ..

Final antenna configuration (for the time being); 41 feet of Rohn 45,
3 el. 20 meter beam at 42', 3 el. 15 meter beam at 50'. Modest, but
hopefully effective. It's a start. CU all on the bands.

Alan, K6XO