[CQ-Contest] 80 meters in ARRL?

[jim funk]

I'm coming "hat-in-hand" to you guys on the East Coast for some advice.

I've gotten ensnarled in a family trip east over (gasp!) ARRL DX CW weekend.
Unwilling to totally miss out on the contest, I'm taking along my FT900 with
no cw filter (aaugh!).  My brother-in-law has an R5 vertical I can use while
we're at his place (Eastern Mass).  I'm planning to take along a 40 meter
dipole we can string up someplace.  It won't be very high, I'm sure!

My question concerns 80 meters.  Those of you who have done this contest
from New England, or anywhere in the East, with low power and otherwise
cruddy antennas (apologies to Cushcraft....), how much of an issue is 80
meters?  Is it worth my time and effort to either put up an 80 meter dipole
or take along an 80 meter vertical?

Thanks and 73, Jim N9JF


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