03/03/2003 | WP3GW This is one of those times when you wished to be on the other side; so many DX, few fixed W/VE stations.... but the main objective was to at least equal last years score, taking in account my working hours.

With that in mind I began to search, and was overwhelmed by the number of DX stations on the air mostly from the Americas and Europe. If I were in the states, I would surely have made like 50 countries on Saturday morning alone.

I can give faith that the following stations were operating on the same frecuencies on 15 and 20 meters the whole 48 hours of the contest: KC1XX, W3LPL, K4JA, N2NT and NQ4A; that's persistence! Also locally that WP3R, WP3A and NP3BX were the ones active here. At least I announce the contest this past week on local 2 meters nets, so there's no excuse!

What I normally do is search and pounce, but then came a moment where only the DX stations were the strongest. At 22:22 Sunday, I could not resist temptation and began to call on 14.164 Mhz. A few minutes later stations began to answer; and in about 20 minutes had 30 plus stations breaking last years score. Later learned that a station posted me on the cluster (no wonder the pile up!).

There was even an EA7 that wanted to work me but explained the rules, even thou he saw I was from the US (cause the US flag appears under my call in qrz.com), said to him that even Alaska and Hawaii were also considered DX for the contest. So he understood and said goodbye, all this politely (my first own experience was a little ruff), but I'm one those that can pause in a contest and be of help if possible.

That's it for now until.......ummmmmm, Til Field Day 2003, adios!

P.S. Oh! received recently a certificate for last year's contest, another one for the collection: First Place Single Operator Low Power Puerto Rico. -- WP3GW