[NLRS] Jan Contest report from EN37ed

[Bill Davis]

Well thatwas interesting! I spent more time in the shack than I expected to. Theactivity I heard Saturday was so sparse, I fixated on doing everything I knewto try to find Q’s. The 6m digital activity seemed to be the only thing “happening”and it was weird here.. seemed to be “one way”. I suspect 10db advantage withthe HIGH power stations making the impression of one way. If they had highnoise vrs my quiet location that makes it more. Only 42 of my 132 Qs were madeSaturday. Of those most were on SSB and CW except for 11 six meter FT8 Qs and 3two meter FT8 Qs. These were “locals” or “regulars” for the most part, W0GHZ,KB0CIM, W0ZQ, K9MU, VE4DDZ etc.

Sundaystarted SLOW  -- between 7:30am and 2pmonly 27 additional Qs, a good mixture 6-432 analog and digital. I had the TV inthe shack on both afternoons and evenings and wanted to watch the football games both days (sound muted) but mostly only was able to check a score once in awhile. 

Returning tothe shack about 3pm (Sunday) things took a sudden turn. I saw someone, don’tremember who, on 6m calling a ZL …New Zealand !! WHAT?? “What are they smoking?”.Then there were reports being sent and then a 73!! WHAT?? So I checked thebearing for ZL land and discovered the band had come alive to the SW while Iwas upstairs eating.  I joined themadhouse and exchanged FT8 reports with almost 60 stations. Four ZLs, four XEsand stations in CA, TX, CO, AZ, OK, CO etc. I left several timesbefore the end of the contest. There is only so much of the digital stuff I cantake. I skipped 2 hours or more with signals pouring in. Amazing FT signalstrengths of positive 29db at 1,500 miles etc. CRAZY! I checked and called on50.125 SSB several times, tuned around down there several times, but when I waslooking down there… ZIP. 

ContestResults::

6 meters  -- 83 Qs    51Grids 

2meters  -- 28 Qs    12 Grids

222           --  6 Qs      4 Grids

432           --   8Qs       6 Grids

902           --  2 Qs       2 Grids

1296         --  4 Qs      3  Grids

10 GHz     --  1 Q        1 Grid

 132 contacts in 79 Grids  Claimed Score 13,509

(I did NOTinclude the ZLs in my contest log since they were sending sig reports)

73  Bill K0AWU

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