Poor propagation to the western US compared to previous years, but low noise levels (no static crashes) provided 615 total contacts and 70 multipliers (67 ARRL sections and 3 DX stations) for a total claimed score of 86730.  TX antenna was a 68 foot base loaded vertical wire hanging straight down from a very tall Sycamore tree with 55 short buried ground radials (2500 feet of radials).  Ran 100 watts output using my old Kenwood TS-180s using a 500 hertz receive filter.  Best DX was CE1/K7CA, and I'm amazed at how well he hears.

Total operating time was 21.15 hours, but lost 6 hours of prime time Saturday night due to my 22nd wedding anniversary (poorly planned wedding date from a ham radio point of view).

Finally went paperless on the logging this year using the N1MM program, and took full advantage of the N1MM memory keying.  The use of the N1MM logging program probably was the single greatest factor in my improved score, but the taller vertical this year (68 feet, was 53 feet last year), and my new 3 small point fed pennants (51.6% of full size) were also helpful improvements.

Great contest (for us little guns) as usual, and already looking forward to next year.

73's,
Don (wd8dsb)