[ADXA] IARU Contest

[w5zn at w5zn.org]

If you didn't already know, or have noticed this weekend through 
tomorrow morning is the annual IARU contest. It runs on both CW and SSB 
and there are a lot of good DX stations on the air, so GET ON THE AIR 
AND WORK SOME DX!!

Its hot outside so this is always a good break in the summer time to run 
some Q's in the test. I have a very fond memory of this one as I was 
invited to be the 20 meter CW op for W100AW back in 2014 and ran the 20 
meter CW station there. Lots of fun with a callsign that added 40 dB to 
the signal !!!!! I racked up almost 3,000 Q's in 24 hours.

If you aren't already aware, the exchange is your ITU zone. This is 
difference from your CQ zone that is used in the CQWW and other CQ 
contests. In Arkansas we are in ITU Zone 7.

I've enjoyed running some CW today however it has confused me greatly! 
I've been reading about how BAD propagation is but gosh, sigs from all 
over are very loud. Its amazing how we can sit back on become convinced 
that propagation is horrible and dead however if no one is on the air 
transmitting, and everyone is just listening or worse, wasting time in a 
chat room on the computer, you will NEVER know if that prop is good or 
bad.

Stop listening to the whiners, weenies and complainers.....GET ON THE 
AIR AND WORK SOME GUD DX in this contest!

73 Joel W5ZN