As I always try to do, I take a week off from work to prepare the station for the UHF contest. This year was no different as I used this time to improve my antenna feedlines, adding a new band (902/3) and interfacing it into the existing NCS audio system.

The last 5 years I had homebrewed preamps on the tower for 432 and 1296, and during those five years I had to repair them because of T-Storms prior to the contests. This year, I upgraded the coax for those bands (LMR400 to LMR600) and removed the pre-amps. I ran new coax cable for 902/3 and the 19 element looper as well.

Next was interfacing the High Performance Software Defined Radio (HPSDR) to my Demi 902 transverter and wire that to the NCS switchbox. Well the 902 interfacing went well, but the NCS interfacing failed because I didn't check the cable I order was the right one.... grrrr.... the wrong cable. So I plugged my test mic I made for the HPSDR and interfaced the KEY from the NCS. A few tests and it was all good.

As I set up the station on Saturday, everything checked out... too a point. 432 had more noise than usual and later during the contest I found it was caused by the HPSDR. Stopping the software from processing made 432 work better. The APRS tropo showed nothing like what happened a week before and Hepburn's maps weren't very encouraging.

Then the contest started and the conditions in my area reared its ugly head. For 24 hours I struggled for each and every contact, especially with 902 because I haven't had enough time behind the HPSDR software. Conditions would open up sporadically and I got a few new grids depending on what band I was using (of course 902 were all new grids). Score was OK, but I'll take it anyways and use it as a base for future contests.

Overall it was nice to hear voices I haven't heard in awhile. I enjoy this contest as it is a challenge everytime under good and bad conditions.

I need to send a "Thank You" too all the rovers that took the time and effort to give us "fixed" stations a contact!!