07/08/2002 | KG9X This is my most favorite contest from as far back as the mid 70's when 10M was the only band I was on at the time with 5 el yagi on a 30' boom at 70'. First ever QRP contest entry. My thoughts were that propagation would not be this good for a 10M contest for many years to come so now is the best time for a QRP entry. Goal was to work 100 countries for the new QRP DXCC award. Well, if all Q's hold up, made it with 105! ( They did ) I was also hoping for a top ten finish. I had made second place finish 2 years in a row in the Low power mixed mode.
Running QRP provided the additional challenge I was looking for. It can be very frustrating at times to call and call a station without response but it made me work that much harder. I was encouraged on by many of the SMC members - our President K9PG, WE9V, NA9D, and others to which I owe many thanks! The backscatter Q's with
USA are the most difficult to work. Even S9 stations were at times unable to hear me. The problem with working the DX heard was NOT my signal strength but working through the pile-ups. Most big pile ups I didn't even try and just marked them for a later try when they would be "worked down" a bit. I actually used either the 6 or 12 dB RX attenuator position the entire contest to try and guarantee a Q - thinking if I can't hear you then you won't hear me.( for a while I even used 18dB out of frustration being unable to make any contacts ) -- KG9X