[NLRS] 10 GHz and Up Cumulative Contest, Weekend 2, Day 2?

[John P. Toscano]

Good evening to all reading this.

I had an interesting day out running 10 GHz on borrowed gear.  I lucked 
out, I guess, by having relatively few folks willing to work two days 
this weekend and requesting a loaner, and got Bob's (W�AUS)'s spare 
narrow-band rig.  It has lower output power and less antenna gain than 
what many of you are using, but it certainly far out-performed the WBFM 
gear I have borrowed in the past (no surprise there, of course).

I'm surprised to see no chatter here on the reflector on the plans for 
Sunday yet.  But since I'm an old man who forgot to bring along a chair 
today, I'm tired and achy, and plan to check into a shower and a comfy 
bed real soon.  So I will have to read all about it tomorrow morning. 
I'll try to be up early to check e-mail.

I'd really prefer to go out with a few folks with higher-performance 
stations again, so I can continue to "tail end" onto their QSO's after 
having had more time to find the signals at the other end (both in 
frequency and position).  Also, I've never been to most of the metro 
sites, and while I can read a map, it's handy to have someone who knows 
the actual operating "spot" from prior experience once I get there, as 
well as the most efficient way to get there.

On a practical / fair level, I'd probably also prefer to at least end up 
somewhere near W�AUS at the end of the day, or work along with him, to 
facilitate return of his loaner rig.  But I'm not adverse to making a 
special trip somewhere to returning it.  It would also be nice to get 
some longer-distance QSO's with the folks I ran with today.  They all 
got their 100-point bonus for my call, plus a paltry 4.6 distance points 
(in most cases) for working me today.  So I'm thinking that's another 
good reason to run with a different "pack" tomorrow.

I look forward to seeing what people plan for Sunday.  But right now, 
that nice warm shower and comfy bed are calling to my aching bones and 
saying, "hit the send button and turn off the computer, you silly old 
human"!

73 for now de W�JT

P.S., Lenny, I overheard you say (on 146.46) that you would be back "in 
the game" on Sunday.  If there's any chance we will miss each other 
tomorrow on whatever general plans we make, let me know and I can 
probably go to the Burnsville or one of the Mendota sites and try to 
work you off downtown or whatever.  I have been to all three sites and 
know how to get to them easily from home, and know the operating 
positions.  I know you invested a lot of time and effort into the first 
weekend, and I'd hate to have the circumstances cut into your total 
score any more than is avoidable.  It will be good to work you tomorrow.

W�JT