[CQ-Contest] DX Cluster Experience in Contests?

[Hank Greeb]

Did anyone see "N8Q" on any of the DX clusters yesterday?  I was 
operating during the Michigan QSO Party from NEWAygo County, QRP.  
NEWAygo hadn't shown up as a fixed station in the recently recorded 
history of the contest, so I set up portable at a township park 
overlooking the Muskegon River.  Antenna wasn't great - a wire up 40 
feet, so I was pleasantly surprized with some of the "runs" on 80 CW and 
75 Phone - especially 75 phone.  I'd call CQ for a while, and then 
several stations would seem to "pounce" on me, two or three at a time, 
sometimes right on top of each other so I could barely get a part of a call.

I had advertised that I'd be QRP because I thought I needed to operate 
with battery power.  When I looked the place over whilst setting up I 
noted a covered electrical distribution box, which could be accessed 
from below the wood skirting, so I hooked into 110VAC, but decided to 
keep my promise to operate QRP!

It was fun - thought I'd have lot more trouble, made over 20 Q's per 
hour with a mediocre portable contest station!  Who'd ever think a QRP 
station could make a run on 75 phone in the evening hours!

73 de n8xx Hg