2011 ARRL 10m Contest

  The first night of this contest seemed like a fun VHF contest with very specific "pipelines" from My location. At first Texas then eventually Colorado and several other western states were the only QSO's I had besides several locals. I tried running several times but only had sporadic success. Seems like a ground mounted vertical and 100w don't command much attention! I still managed more QSO's the first night than the entire contest last year before calling it quits for the night.
  Saturday morning I was back on about 1400 UTC and the band was already wild! First 20 QSO's were all DX before snagging at Stateside PA station. I soon realized the fringe of the action was the place to be for a "wet noodle" station like Me and spent some time around 29mhz. This is farther up the band then I've ever been contesting on 10m before. Up there it actually was more casual even with some big gun stations running.
  Several interesting observations during this contest. The first is My call phonetics of "November-Zero-Uniform-Juliett-Juliett" cause some contesters to fumble with the"uniform" portion. This is of course the "english as a second language group". I am constantly amazed at the multiple languages of most every other country except My own. WOW- what an accomplishment! Having said that I also find  the number"two" seems tough for Me to pick out of a accented English call .For My part I usually end up changing to " November-Zero-United-Japan-Japan which seems to be better understood!!
  Second observation is -and this is not limited to this contest- the number of stations I'm receiving at S9+ or better that CQ in My face. Sure if I was running high power would help but I can't help but think the far end is either dealing with terrible QRM or comprosied antennas.You know-high power to a wet noodle!!Yes I know-one wet noodle to another-LOL!!
  Third observation, and I should remember from other contests but, the last few hours can be so productive!I almost shut down early but luckily jumped back in towards the end for several juicy multipliers!! Oh ,and I managed to upset one contester from California when I only partially listened to an exchange and assumed the frequency belonged to a multiplier I needed--oops! Sorry, that was Not intentional. I always try to be courteous and respectful of frequencies!!
  As always didn't spend enough time operating but it was fun while operating . Christmas shopping and some chores took some time away but mostly just S & P and trying to break pile-ups kept My score small!   142-QSO's, 59 Multipliers for a score of 16,756. If it was CW contacts that would have been double the score!!
  73---Tim

Wallpaper and more

Imagine My surprise receiving this certificate in the mail today. I always enjoy "wallpaper" and the satisfaction I feel having "placed" in a contest. I don't believe My score was exceptional and I  remember the band conditions were terrible so this Just proves the "always participate" motto because you never know who isn't!
  Last weekend was ARRL sweepstakes and I had planned to operate but it was not to be. Too bad because it did sound like most operators had a blast. Maybe next year! I am planning on a try at the upcoming ARRL 10m contest several weekends from now. Appears I need to defend My crown--LOL
  My antennas for 10m are a ground mounted vertical, a old CB ground plane at about 25 feet and a G5RV jr. and 100w max! Not a contest grade setup but 10m has been very actice so it should be fun. For a little station like mine-Friday night is a very tuff go. Sunday is typically better when all stations are hungary for the last contact! In the past when conditions were in the doldrums, this contest for Me was monitoring most of the weekend hoping to catch that rare opening. Don't think that will be a problem this year!
hope to hear you on the bands!!
 73---Tim

LOTW and a new one!

I finally after 15 days resubmitted My CQ WW log to LOTW and after two more days it was finally accepted! . This also gave Me one new contact to add to DXCC-- TX3T from French Polynesia.
This weekend is the ARRL Sweepstakes SSB contest. Hope to hear you on the bands!
 73--Tim

LOTW and 2 New Ones!

  If You're a contester and use LOTW You already know about the super slow uploads from the last two contests. I didn't participate in the recent ARRL Cw contest but I did have a small log to upload from the CQ WW contest from several weeks ago. I heard about the slow upload times but assumed that was already past-not!! Its been many days and still no successful log addition.
  On a more positive note I was able to add two more DXCC's to My HRD analysis program bring total worked to 88  and even with all the issues LOTW is having added two more to bring My total to 60. You would think Columbia and Netherlands would be easy to work but I guess they slipped through the cracks until now! I worked them both on 15m- one was SSB and the other RTTY, both during contests!
  Next weekend is the ARRL SS SSB contest of which I'll try to be operating!
 73--Tim

Certificate and stuff!!

  Thanks to the Minnesota Wireless Association  for this certificate. This is four years in a row I've managed this. To be honest, in this specific category I haven't needed to score very high. Not many contesters in the category operating from St Louis county. Now overall thats a different story-- I can't even give any competition to the winner of the overall Phone Only Category with My little score! Still Very thankful for this award - Us small peashooter stations really need these incentives!! LOL!!
  Well a really big weekend is here and gone and I only managed a short operating time on Friday . The CQ WW SSB is history and all My plans to be on most of the weekend were not to be. I still managed to have a very enjoyable weekend- it just wasn't with Ham radio! Less than 40 Q's - but congrats to all the very nice scores I see being submitted!
 73---Tim