Thanks to everybody for working me in this past weekend's contest. I
had a good rove. No enhanced propagation, but enough local activity to
keep things interesting. This is considerably better than last year's
January effort and I think it is the best I have done without enhanced
roving propagation. Having 4 bands helps, as does operating in motion,
better planning on my part and pushing to keep on the schedule. I
activated 9 grids, and could easily have done 2 or 3 more.
QSOs by Activated Grid:
Grid QSOs Grid QSOs Grid QSOs
DM61 21 DM65 8 DM74 11
DM62 9 DM75 8 DM72 8
DM63 4 DM73 8 DM64 10
Score Summary
Band QSOs Value QSO Pts Mults
50 23 1 23 5
144 38 1 38 6
222 8 2 16 3
432 18 2 36 3
Grids activated: 9
Totals: 87 113 26
Claimed Score: 2938
Murphy Struck early. They just put up a gate across the access road to
my favorite site in DM74, so I found a new spot on a cul de sac in an
unbuilt subdivision nearby. Fortunately this only put me behind
schedule 5 minutes. There was lots of local activity here. I found out
that the old IC551D would only work on CW. Murphy strikes again. Still
I think I only lost one or two contacts to people I couldn't work
because they couldn't work CW. I tried to raise some Colorado stations
here and couldn't. Same for stations in DM62 and DM61. I have worked
both from here before.
I then moved on to DM75, the site of the former Longhorn Ranch, a
notorious Route 66 tourist trap. This is a good spot, but it was a bit
noisy. I worked the locals and then tried to raise Colorado and DM61
and DM62 again. Nothing heard in either direction, but I don't know if
that was due to my noise level or lack of activity.
Then I hit I-40 through DM65 to I-25 south through DM64, calling on 2M
all the way, working stations and moving them up and down the bands.
Here Murphy struck again and the IC551D gave up the ghost all together
with a sputtering sound and a large buzz. I hope it can be
resurrected. I had a spare 6M rig, and old FT680, along, but decided
to wait until I got to DM61 to change it out rather than delay the
trip further. SO no 6M through DM65, DM64, DM63 and DM63. But as I was
revisiting DM63, DM64 and DM65 on the way back this seemed like a good
trade off.
I made a short stop in DM63 near Truth or Consequences to get to a
high spot and work some things north and south. Then on the road again
to DM62 and DM61, where activity picked up again. I stopped at the
Transmountain Highway Franklin Mountain pass in DM61 in the evening.
This is a good high spot with lots of activity so I had a good time
here. I swapped out the 6M rigs and after a bit of cockpit error got
6M up and running albeit at only 10 Watts. Good views to be enjoyed as
well.
We drove to Alamogordo for the night. I set up in the morning at the
Space History Museum. This is a good spot from the South around to the
North. I did surprise myself by making a QSO with N2IC over 120 miles
and 2 mountain ranges at 10 Watts and a square loop. There are nice
views of the Tularosa Basin and the White Sands from here.
Then I went North a few miles to DM73 in La Luz and worked most of the
El Paso and La Cruces group again. Also, to my surprise, I snagged a
station in DM41 on two at 275 miles for my best DX of the contest.
Then we drove north through DM73 to DM63. I stopped a couple of times
in DM63 to work N2IC and N7KA on 6M. Then back to DM63 and DM64.
Activity was dead during the playoff games, but picked up at half
times and between games. Had supper with my daughter and then we
headed home.
Thanks to Virginia for driving and taking photos. I will post photos
to the Soapbox when I get a chance.
I cross posted this to several lists. Sorry if you get it twice. -
Duffey
--
KK6MC
James Duffey
Cedar Crest NM
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