Well, in the past I have sometimes used the IARU contest as a follow-up to Field Day.  Problems that I found on Field Day, I had two weeks to get the issues righted, and then go back out to another state park or public location, and see if I can get the issues under control, instead of waiting perhaps until the following FD when I may not remember the issue.

This year I was pretty lazy.  I walked from the bedroom into the Office / Ham Shack, and jumped on the air.  I used the N3FJP software for IARU for the first time, as well as using the Field Day logging for the first time this year.  Both are wonderful, and our group FD as well as my personal IARU logs are already submitted for both.  Whew!

I am happy to see that I was not the only one that thought that 80 was dead, I thought that perhaps my antenna was just not working too well.  This is the first major event that I have used my G5RV (about 30 feet above ground) in the attic.  I am happy to report contacts all around North America, South America, and Europe.  Sure I would love to have a Yagi up at 75 feet, but it is good to see that I can reliably pass messages without one.

111 contacts I thought were not too bad considering the abbreviated time, limited antenna, and less than 100 watts used.

Between the IARU and the 13 Colonies event over the Independence Day weekend, it has helped me to make contact with most of the rest of the WAS that I am missing. 

Now I just hope that I can get some QSL's back to make it official.

Hope that everyone enjoyed it!

73,

Patrick N9OQT in Illinois