[CQ-Contest] TU, Alfa Radio (and others)

[Art Boyars]

I few days ago I received, forwarded by VE4EA, a lovely plaque for VE4VTR's
RAC Canada Day Contest 2015 win in the Multi-Operator, Single Transmitter,
High Power category, with a score of 473,340.  Operators: VE4VTR, VE4EA, &
VE4XT.

Now, you might not consider this a major contest, especially if you're not
in Canada (eh?).  But we worked pretty hard and we had a good time. (As
Multi-Op LP VE4EA, this same team won Canada Day in 2014, and did okay in
SS CW 2103.  You could look it up.)

We missed Cary's perpetual goal of setting a new record.  VE6AO's 2008
score of 586,984 holds on.  That one will be hard to beat until the high
bands come back.  We out-QSO'd them 1154 to 1092, but they beat us in
mult's 77 to 69.  They also beat us in QSO points 7,623 to 6,860, which
means they worked a lot more Canadians and RAC stations than we did. (RAC
contests are interesting in that your first 9M6 on 160M is worth exactly
the same as your 50th W6 on 20M.)

Doing well does add to the enjoyment of contesting, and recognition is
appreciated.

I'd like to recognize the contributions of host VE4EA and Radiosport
Manitoba buddy VE4XT -- and the support of the other RSM gang -- in this
contest.  I thank Cary and Kelly for the fun and the satisfaction.  I thank
Cary, in particular, for deciding that the plaque belongs in my MD shack
with the SSW CW 2103 plaque, rather than in my Winnipeg guest shack.

For all of us, I thank Alfa Radio for sponsoring the plaque.

73, Art VE4VTR/K3KU