N4DDP and Shack

N4DDP and Shack
N4DDP in native habitat

Monday, March 3, 2014

ARRL DX Phone Contest

In a prior life  I became interested in contests and Dx' ing. This weekend was a big one. With my new stealth antenna I managed 27 contacts. What a confidence builder! This was with the help of my five year old tuning the radio, the antenna tuner, pressing the PTT for me. what a blast! The antenna worked fairly well as I made all those contacts in about 2 hours of casual operating.

The most interesting aspect is propagation. I can recall years ago that 10 meters would be dead after sundown . . . except during the 10 meter contest, then paths no one had any idea were there opened. Still my favorite band (10 meters) because it seems very much true that if you can
hear them, you can work them regardless of power or antenna.