[SECC] [Contest] ARRL 10m Contest

[Kt4zb at aol.com]

Thanks for posting this; great read - hope to hear some of you over  the 
weekend.  Part time SOLP here as company will be in town and other  
activities.  Good luck to all.
 
Jere, KT4ZB
 
 
In a message dated 12/6/2011 5:24:22 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
k4bai at att.net writes:

I've  never used packet spots or skimmer in an ARRL 10M contest except 
when  WW4LL and I did a M/S from PJ4Z in 2004.  I have done the contest 
SO  HP CW and SO HP Mixed Mode.  I usually do mixed mode so I can help  
the club with more points, it isn't quite so boring when the band is  
only marginally open, it is a more challenging category to enter, and  
doesn't K1TO in FL always win the Division for SO HP CW anyway?  
Actually, I was quite competitive from W4AN in SO HP CW and think once I  
came in second in the US to K1KI.  Only after the contest when I was  
complaining about not having enough AF gain for weak JA stations on one  
MP did Bill say that he had forgotten that he had turned off the  
internal preamp while he was working DX on 160 and forgot to turn it  
back on or to tell me.  Probably wouldn't have made a difference, but  we 
didn't need to get the MP repaired.

I like to run whenever I can  get a decent rate. When the rate drops, 
I'll S&P like mad.  If  you are mixed mode, you need to be alert to the 
opportunity to move a mult  to the other mode if you need it there.

This weekend could be great if  conditions continue as they have been. 
Unfortunately, I have a high line  noise frequently on 10M and it will be 
a big handicap.  A lot of  contacts are made groundwave or backscatter 
with very weak stations with  rapid QSB.  The line noise makes those 
contacts hard to make and  confirm.  Also, my Alpha 78 will only run 
about 600W in the CW  band.  It will run a lot more in the SSB band, so I 
guess my TH6DXX  is no longer favoring the CW band, which may be good 
overall now that SSB  stations are being found above 29 mHz in SSB 
contests.  I may try to  switch to my Alpha 91b for this weekend since no 
band changing will be  involved.  I usually use the 78 because it has a 
broad band position  for 80, 40, 20, and 15, so that you need to tune the 
amp only when you go  to 10 or 160.

Wish everyone a lot of fun, a lot of QSOs, and a big  score this weekend. 
If I don't hear you through the line noise,  please forgive me.  I will 
be trying to make every contact I  can.

Remember that there is a time limit for all categories (36  hours).  Also 
remember that Mexican States count as multipliers  beginning last  year. 
You can get a list from the contest  website.  There will be a lot of 
Mexican stations on in the  contest.  It is a matter of pride for them 
and a big boost to the  scores for us.

73, John,  K4BAI.
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