[SJRA-Members] QSO Party Newbie Operating Question

[Mark Walters]

Well folks, I have had one heck of a time trying to make contact with local K2AA/100 operators so far during this entire QSO party as well as SJRA/100 self spotters. 
In fact, I have not been able to contact K2AA/100 operators at all while operating as my own call despite chasing the schedules, chasing the flurry of email self spots etc. 

I have a Yaesu FT-857D and when I bring it into the house I match it with a YT-100 tuner, and a vertical multiband EZ Military HF antenna and a Diamond vertical 2M antenna which I can hit most other local repeaters with(except K2AA lol). 
This combination worked fairly well during the Jan VHF contest. 
My 6M dipole that I just built this week and tuned with a Comet antenna analyzer and further tuned with the YT-100 did not seem to produce any local or far contacts on 6M during my K2AA operator slots(I believe the band was closed during my slots according to propagation sites for 6M). 

I did manage to make a few outbound contacts while operating as K2AA/100 early in the week on 2M repeaters (other than SJRAs) since I can not hit K2AA from my low lying development . 

In my frustration, today I took down my temporary shack in my home and took down all my temp antennas in my back yard and put the radio back in my truck. 
Tonight at 7:15 I heard a band opening on 20M and managed to make my first DX contact as a newly minted General, to a station in Italy like they were sitting next to me. 

Subsequently, I turned back to the K2AA 10M net and could barely here Roy at 8:00PM. (I know I am cross polarized with a vertical ATAS-120 antenna on my truck despite it also having a built in tuner). 

Summary, I am a newbie and have had a great deal of fun trying this week so far but realize I have soooooo much to learn in Radio. 

Question to all the experienced SJRA operators >>>Does anyone have any suggestions/feedback as to why I can't hit local contacts in HF but can hit Italy like they were sitting next to me? 
...NVIS, cross polarized, band opening, right place/right time... all of the above, none of the above... ??? 

Any suggestions on what might be going on here are welcome. 

Thanks in advance for your feedback :) 

Mark Walters KD2JPW/AG