Minnesota QSO Party 2011

This contest is sponsored by The club I'm a member of-- The Minnesota Wireless Association and I believe its one of the better QSO parties! Course there is a little favoritism on My part-LOL!!
This contest runs from 8:00AM CST to 6:00 PM CST on February 5th.
Minnesota stations try for Counties,States and provinces and add points for each DX contact. All others try for Minnesota Counties. I'm in St. Louis County in northern Minnesota and operated "SOLP Phone only". I also operated as a fixed station from the comfort of My basement. It's fun to hear the "war" stories from the many mobiles operating and realize how easy I have it! No plans for mobile operation yet ,maybe in the future. I have been offered a co-pilot seat but that would mean a definate full time committment which I'm not able at this time to do. Fact is I only operated about 4 hours this time even though I'd planned on a mostly full time operation from home!
I started at 8:15 CST on 80m and quickly got a run going. Contacts were coming slow but steady and I thought- boy this easy!!- grin,grin! If it had kept on like that My score would have climbed to unheard of heights--at least for ME! Too bad it did dry up- seemed like 80m had a bad case of the doldrums,so I switched to 40m and tried to get a run going! I thought I might be successful, but after just a short time this too dried up. Next was 20m and right away I knew this little station was in trouble! Vertical or wires just could not hold a frequency with louder neighbors pushing Me out so now it was strictly S & P .
I also checked 15m and 10m but little or no activity. I did manage on several bands to add some contacts with S & P but I knew without a big opening My hope of a better score,two or three times higher than last years was not to be. It also was time to handle some chores around here and with chores ,lunch, family time and such I was not able to do more in the contest except occasional checking of the bands for improvement and occasional contacts.
Towards the end of the contest I was finally able to devote some more time and tried for runs on several bands with only limited success. My most time spent ended up again to be 80m and the old trusty 260' dipole. I really need a tri-bander to make a dent on 20m and help improve My 15 and 10m arsenal.
Several fun contacts were with mobiles- who really make or break these State QSO parties unless the state is heavily populated. One mobile I actually was able to copy His callsign (i think) but not name or county with heavy QRM. We tried and tried--bummer. Several other mobiles I had good SSB contacts with, one even gave Me counties within a short time- only had to drive several hundred feet-cool!
One mobile I contacted between several bands and counties towards the end. I eventually was switching to 160m knowing this usually was the final band before the end and expected to start CQing but when i asked if the frequency was in use-- My "elmer" came back and said Hi!! Just about fell off My chair-- I haven't talked to Roger on voice in ages! Finding him on 160m was really great! Fun contest- wish bands had been better and I had more time .
Less Q's than last year, more multipliers so a little better score--6624
73---Tim