[TVARC] ARRL 10 K2PS SO Mixed LP

[K2PS Pete Stafford]

I love that I was able to work so many TVARCers: K2DM, AA6DQ, W4GD, AB3SX,
W3US, AD4K, ND8L, AD4MO, K6UMO, NK7U, and WB2ART.  Looks as if, from reports
I've seen so far, I only missed K2TE and KM4PIH.  Thanks for the points,
everyone!

Conditions started out fantastically Friday night with a huge stateside
opening.  Usually the contest has propagation to the Pacific and maybe Japan
at this time, and there were a few of those that I worked, but then I heard
George, K2DM, calling CQ, and worked him; then I figured I'd try calling CQ
myself.  Glad I did!  By the time the band closed up at about 1030p (the
contest started at 7), I had 328 QSOs in the log.  Wow.  I had high hopes
for the rest of the contest.

Saturday into Europe did not disappoint, although it opened somewhat later
than it had two weeks earlier in the CQ WW CW Contest.  Nonetheless, after
trying hard to get the European big guns to hear me, I finally found an open
frequency at 730a (local) and ran for about an hour on CW, then switched to
SSB to be sure to grab all those multipliers.  Europe was done by about
1030a, but was able to continue running to somewhere until about 130p - ran
on one mode until it started to peter out, then switched modes and did it
again.  Always tried to emphasize CW, since the point value of a CW contact
is twice that of SSB.  Kept watching the rate meter, and if the CW rate
dipped below about 60/hour, I'd try SSB.  And if SSB rate dropped below 100,
then back to CW.  The band pretty much closed up by 7P - no repeat of Friday
night, to be sure.

Finished at the midway point with 1018 QSOs, split 676 CW, 342 SSB.  

Sunday continued the decline in conditions, with Europe not opening for
running until 830a (an hour later), and with poorer results.  Best hour
resulted in only 44 QSOs, while Saturday topped out at 87.  The afternoon
did yield some better runs stateside, but ultimately the band weakened and
caused me to finally quit and hour and a half before the end of the contest
(my other excuse is that I wanted to watch the Eagles beat the Raiders,
which they did, 31-0)!

All in all, it was a successful contest - a hundred or so QSOs fewer than
the prior year, but with about 10 more mults.  Sadly took down the yagi
today, and stored it in the garage until ARRL DX CW in February.

I do think next year I'll turn on the amp.  Will probably need it with our
solar cycle on the decline.

Again, great turnout for TVARC, and I'll post the scores at our January
meeting!

73, Pete, K2PS


                    ARRL 10-Meter Contest - 2025

Call: K2PS
Operator(s): K2PS
Station: K2PS

Class: SO Mixed LP
QTH: NFL
Operating Time (hrs): 26

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
   CW:  903   132
  SSB:  540   104
-------------------
Total: 1443   236  Total Score = 1,107,312

Club: The Villages Amateur Radio Club

Comments:




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