[NLRS] 10 GHz Contest Results: W0ZQ

[w0zq at aol.com]

Well, that was interesting. First the numbers:

Number of QSOs = 78
Distance Points = 12,750
Unique QSO Points = 1,900
Total Score = 14,650
Best DX = 391.7 km. No rain scatter DX this year.

The first weekend of the contest, August 18 and 19, brought us some of 
the finest Minnesota weather in recent memory. Cool, (ok - cold), 
windy, wet, and really really cruddy. A group of us found refuge in the 
fourth floor of a five floor parking ramp in Eden Prairie and made a 
number of contacts with both locals and a small band of hardy rovers in 
western MN and eastern ND. As bad as our weather was, the rovers had it 
worse. My best DX for the contest was this weekend, Sunday, between the 
Burnsville hill site in EN34is and the hardy rovers in EN17kb, ND, at 
391.4 km. At the time there was a light drizzle that was not showing up 
on the local radar, so pretty sure this was not rain scatter - also 
signals were near the noise floor.

The second weekend of the contest, September 15 and 16, found us dry, 
but with record cold temperatures - usually not too conducive to good 
UHF and uW propagation. A group of us operated from Buck Hill and 
worked a small group of rovers traveling through SE MN as well as a 
second group of rovers over in south central WI. Most of these contacts 
were over a 155 to 207 km range, usually with fair signals and mostly 
on SSB.  On Sunday I changed hobbies and rode the Mpls Parkway system 
which they had closed off for this fun bicycling event.  After 51 miles 
I missed the 6:00 pm activity hour ... next time.

Highlights:
1) We did accomplish a goal of working some longer distances. Even when 
conditions are below normal, distances out to 200 km are easy.
2) Paths to nearly 400 km are not "impossible" and might be more 
available then we think.
3) As a group, given the really cruddy weather we had, we still managed 
to make some contacts.
4) Hearing the surprise in Mel's voice when we worked him on rain 
scatter from his house in Rochester. He asked me where to aim and I 
said "just above the trees and in our direction" ..... I don't think he 
believed me.

Lowlights:
1) Did I mention the weather ?
2) Coupled with the weather, the poor propagation. Some of the rain the 
first weekend did allow for some "local" rain scatter contacts, but the 
rain storms were low topped (hence limited range) and over the top of 
us (and everywhere else).

So another 10G contest has come and gone. One of the fun things about 
this contest is that most 10 GHz op's can throw their dish in the car 
and operate portable. The ability to operate portable opens up a whole 
new world of things to try. So, what are we going to try next year ?

73, Jon
W0ZQ



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