[CQ-Contest] Need advice

[Dick-W0RAA]

Hi guys & gals,  

I would like to get some advice as regards SO2R operating.  My station is not a super contest station by any stretch of the imagination.  So that you have an idea of what I have let me give a brief breakdown:  

Yaesu FT-950
Yaesu FT-857D
Ameritron AL-811A Amp (not used in contests)
Palstar Tuner (Not auto-tune)
Cushcraft A3S @ 34' on a Rohn 25 Tower with a Hazer 2 unit for raising & lowering the beam
Butternut HF-9V ground mounted w/radials
80 Meter shortened dipole at 30'  
I also have a SignaLink USB that is hooked up to my FT-950.  

As you can see, a modest setup but it all works pretty well.  I live in an upscale mobile home retirement community, that, thankfully, allows beams and other antennas.  

I'd like to setup a modest SO2R operation for RTTY contesting.  I don't know if my station is equipped well enough to do that.  I am considering getting a DX-Doubler unit and if anybody on the contesting reflectors is using a DX-Doubler, I'd certainly like to communicate with you about the abilities of the unit and whether or not it will be all that I need.  Or maybe something I shouldn't even consider.  

I have some questions but not really sure what they should be, thus my need for help from some folks who are using a similar setup.  My main contesting program is Writelog and I also use N1MM.  Mainly though, Writelog.  I have had success with both programs and keep them up to date.  

I hope to run into some of you during the COQP (Colorado QSO Party) tomorrow (Sat., Sept. 1).  

73,  

Dick W0RAA

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