I never know what this January contest will bring weather-wise. I have been operating Single-Op (QRP) Portable in this contest for many years. In the past I’ve set up and torn down my station in blizzards, ice storms and balmy 45 degree weather.

This year I had typical January weather conditions here with temperatures ranging from the low teens at night to the mid-20’s in the day with no precipitation. Best of all was lack of any wind this year.

Conditions this year were rather poor. I very occasionally heard signals from some of the farther out grids pop out of the noise, peak and disappear within minutes. I was unable to get the attention of most of them. I heard W4ZRZ on 222 but he disappeared before I could call him. Most of the “locals” (out to a couple grid squares) were nowhere near as strong as during the summer months. I only worked one Rover this year and he was in my own grid square.

My best DX was either N4QWZ in EM66 or W0UC in EN44. Microwave bands were very difficult, with several attempts at 3456 and 5760 that failed. I successfully worked W9ZIH on 10 GHz but we couldn’t make it on 3456.

I’m posting a couple photos of my setup. In the station setup in the seat of my car, you can see on the top shelf my microwave IF rig, keyer and 10 MHz reference. On the next shelf down is my VHF/UHF IF rig and switching box. Below that are individual transverters.

In the antenna photo, you can see the 432, 222, 144 and 902 MHz antennas on one mast, the 1296 loop Yagi on another mast, and the microwave dish against the car. It’s too bad I can’t utilize the windmills!

73, Zack W9SZ (EN50rl)