09/11/2007 | WB2AMU I went to my usual hilltop location in central Long Island in FN30 in the single operator QRP portable category. We had a minor setback when the wires to the key were accidently severed when one of the radio fell down. I was able to make emergency repairs to the wire using a knife and electrical tape and this would hold up for many QSOs during the contest.

Saturday ended up being nice and sunny and hot! We made a fair amount of contacts on during the afternoon before the park closed at dusk. One non-radio highlight was that a wedding party stopped by at 4 pm to take pictures at the park.

We arrived at the same location on Sunday morning about 6:15 AM. Listening to Two Meters, we heard W4VHH in EM95 working N2RRA in FN31. However, we were not able to get W4VHH's attention after the QSO. But at least we knew that we had some potential tropo working because of the tropical storm that was pushing the fronts upwards from North Carolina.

The tropo signals were tremendous on both Two Meters and 432 MHz with several stations from the FN00, FN10, FM08, FM09, FM17 and FM19 grids booming in. I have never heard signals on 432 MHz so loud during my time on 432 for the past eight years! I even managed to move KO4YC in FM17 from Two Meters up to 432 and eventually complete the contact.

Signals faded somewhat by 10 am and I left for much of the day and I came back in the evening and picked up a few more. I found out latter that I missed a short Sporadic-E opening on Saturday night on Six Meters but that happens, I guess.

This was my best September effort yet with over 100 QSOs and 50 multipliers on the four bands. I had 14 different grids on 432 MHz alone! -- WB2AMU