[ILQSO] Stuff, thoughts and NVIS dummy load kind long

[KI9A at aol.com]

First, how was my signal, I had to put my taller G5RV up at a totally  
different setup after loosing a main support tree to a storm. Not real excited  
about the deal...one leg is horizontal @ 45', center at 45', and the other leg  as 
a vee. Worried about pattern & other stuff. I felt loud though.
 
 
Well, my NVIS didn't really pan out. I really didn't expect to be louder,  
but, was hoping the pull some weak, close-in stuff out. No difference at all. As 
 a matter of fact, I'm wondering if it didn't couple with my other antenna, 
and  cause me some RF headaches on 80 CW.
 
I've been doing this since 1989. I don't think I have ever heard in state  
op's so loud as this year. Anyone else notice this?  I normally have a real  
ROUGH time working the counties from Sangamon, south, due to them being just out  
of my groundwave, and unless there is some scatter, I never here them. 
St.Clair  is a crappy location to work south. 
 
20 meters...ELSTINKO. Normally, 20 is "iffy" for me, because my antennas  are 
junk--G5RV @ 45', and tribander @ 25'. Some years, 20 is short, and can be  
fun working in-state. But, at least I did have KP2, LY, PJ2, FS and EI call me  
out of the blue. No AK, or HI. 
 
10/15 meters...never did any good on 15, either mode, even during sunspot  
maxima. 10 SSB always worked well for me then, nice to get a bunch of west coast 
 mults out of the way, and work uniques that are 10 meter only.
 
VHF...didn't do much this year. Normally, my Dad & Stepmom take a spin  thru 
Monroe, randolph, Washington, Clinton, & Madison counties during the  
afternoon, looking at the fall colors. I turn my 17 ele 2m yagi vertical, and  work 
them as they drive. This year, they camped in Clinton Co., and managed to  get 
them in Monroe, St.Clair, and Clinton. He even put his HF rig in the truck,  
hopefully he worked some of you guys from Clinton.
 
I really like not having the 8/Q per county for the extra mult. Might be a  
good idea to have that for out of state guys though. It will keep them actively 
 looking. 
 
Packet...never could have made the mult total without it. Rates were high  
enough, no time to tune around for them. Kept things moving by watching 2  
clusters on a backup computer. Next year, I WILL have better  SO2R  setup. It would 
really help using a second rig to call new  spots, and tune for others.
 
Jim, and the guys, you did a great job getting this rolling. Nice to see  
quality folks running things after the FB job the RAMS guys did every year.  
Mobiles, portables, you guys RULE. I would blow a gasket trying to do a  mobile 
effort like you!