01/21/2005 | NK9R Except for a little logging during Field Day, I don't do CW contests. My 20 WPM just can't keep up with the blinding speed of most contests. I certainly wasn't planning on working the 160 CW contest. Imagine my suprise when I tuned around 160 during the contest. I could copy these guys! The avarage speed seemed to be somewhere around 22 to 25 wpm, certainly doable with the short exchange.

I tuned up half of my 80 dipole by disconnecting one leg of the ladder line and made a few contacts. The next thing I know, I'm downloading the log and dupe sheets and programming my keyer, just having a ball! I ended up working 64 stations as far away as Colorodo before I had to shut down. Not competative, but not bad for my first time on 160.

Next year, I'll try to get up a better antenna and plan on spending a little more time at it. I sure had fun. Thanks

Harry, NK9R Marietta GA. -- NK9R