[NLRS] 10GHz Cumulative Weekend

[wb0ljc@juno.com]

Hi all,

I had a great time working 10G last weekend
from the UP of Michigan. 

Subject to checking here's the breakdown:

218 Q's   18 unique calls (worth 100 points each)
45,604 distance points (in kM) for a total score of 47,404.
A nice increase over last years 16k.

Thanks to the North Shore ops. They did a great job
both days. The were so fast on Sunday we would still
be finishing with the ops at one site and would hear
the guys at the next site beaconing to get our attention.
We didn't have to use 2M for liaison. Also thanks to 
Lenny and Dave for scouting sites on Friday.

Some of the highlights were:
1) working 26 contacts of 300kM or more. These were worth
8216 distance points, a total greater than my scores for the
first two years combined and about half of what I had last
year with 125 contacts.

2) working all 8 of the NS ops from Mt Brockway Sunday.
I didn't expect everyone to stay while Bruce, Donn and I
drove for an hour to get back there. Thanks guys!
Signals were very weak at first, but peaked up by the
time we were finishing.  I'm not sure if it was conditions
or if everyone had more time to peak their dishes.

3) working KF9US, from a site south of us also on the UP, 
using back scatter. Both of us were pointed toward the NS.
I first heard him calling the NS after we had worked them.
We couldn't work him direct when we tried.

4) great conditions. Signals from the NS were often as strong
as those from the other UP ops who were only a few feet away.

5) working Gary, W0GHZ, and Jon, K0FQA, on a bounce shot
off the MN bluffs when they were in Wisc at Port Wing. They
were pointed to the NS ops. Thanks for making the trip and
for the NS Q's too.

7) the great weather. Saturday we had a brief rain shower come 
through during the morning. The rest of the day was very nice
with moderate temp and a light wind to keep us cool.
Sunday was clear and sunny with a light breeze that kept
the temp down enough that we all put on jackets. The wind
was stronger just around the point. Most of the day we were
shielded from the sun by a stand of pine trees.

Thanks to Bruce, W9FZ, for his efforts working the liaisons.
He was often on the radio or phone when his turn came to
work the NS. He was kept running. I don't think he will need
to go to for a workout for some time.

We had plenty of "what are you doing" questions. I think everyone
took turns explaining 10G and a little about ham radio. I also had
plenty of "Why is the dish pointed down?" Only one person
said "can you hear me know". I guess those commercials are
getting a little old. We did have a number of hams stop to talk.
We tried to give them a demo of 10G in action. One thing that seemed
to clarify our reasons for being on the lake was when I told them
that our radio signals don't go through trees very well. Then I would
point to the lake and say there's a nice place with no trees for a
few hundred miles. 

I hope some of you can join in the fun for the second weekend.
We have a number of loaner 10G WBFM rigs that will give you
a taste of the fun. There are a few of us who would be willing
to go back to Superior and swap sides. However, I don't think 
there will be enough to make the trip worth while. I expect most
of the September weekend activity to be around the Metro area.

73,  Gary  WB0LJC


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