02/19/2008 | TI5N TI5N Single Op QRP Op: W8QZA Station: TI5KD
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Rig:
Kenwood TS 940S with output set at 5 Watts

Antennas:
Quad up 25 meters, 4 el 10M, 3 el 15M and 20M
TH6 Tribander up 25 meters
2 el yagi for 40M up 30 meters
2 el 40M Quad fixed at 20 degrees
80M rotatable short dipole up 32 meters
80M loop with apex up 27 meters
160M inverted L
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So far this year, conditions seem somewhat worse than last year. But you don't really need good propagation to work pretty well into the USA and VE from TI5KD's station, even with QRP. In addition I think I was the only TI station on for this contest. Both of those factors contributed to occasionally attracting some pretty decent pile-ups when I changed to a new band.

Almost all my QSOs were by CQing. The only time I did S&P was when I was looking for a hole to call CQ. Of the over 2,300 Qs, probably less than 100 were by S & P. Normally most of my Qs are S & P.

I planned to work through the first night with no sleep. But the American Airlines flight was late getting down on Thursday and did not arrive until until after midnight. So I could only manage 3 hours of sleep before starting set-up on Friday. After that, I wound up having to sleep 2 hours Friday night and 3 hours Saturday night.

10 Meters was a total loss. I checked often on both days during what might have been the peak hours. When I found no USA / VE stations, I called CQ anyway. But I was only able to get 8 stations in three states the entire time.

I did get WAS on 15 Meters and missed only Wyoming for WAS on 20 M.

It was an exciting contest. Many thanks to Keko, TI5KD, for allowing me the use of his station. And thanks to Sophie, Keko's wife, who is a licensed ham as well as a gormet cook, and served five star meals, ...at the rig!

The photo shows one of Sophie's famous meals being served to me at the rig at around noon on Saturday.

...Bill Parker W8QZA / TI5N -- W8QZA