10/04/2003 | VP9/N0JK What a difference a few months make compared to the June VHF QSO Party. No Es, F2 or tropo from Bermuda in the Sept. contest. I stayed at Ed, VP9GE's QTH. Hurricane Fabian had knocked off the electricity at his home, so I ran the contest "Field Day" style with generators. Only contest QSOs completed were on 6M. I CQed often on 2M but nil heard.

High points were working W2SZ/1 on 6M Sunday afternoon(who I missed in the June contest) and having a nice dinner at the "Lobster Pot" restaurant in downtown Hamilton with my family to celebrate my son's 22nd birthday. After dinner I finished the contest with a weak Es/scatter opening between 0100 - 0200 utc Sept. 15 to the northeast states. K1TOL had a great signal peaking a solid 579. WA2BPE and W3CMP were worked during this opening.

Some stations heard but not worked on 6M: W4IY, W8GG em78, K1WHS, K1JT, K1SIX, W2FU, K3YTL and N2PA. Believe W2FU heard me calling on CW, he would qrz, but could not complete. Seemed most ops had their antennas pointed away from Bermuda. At 1846 utc on Saturday I heard a station saying their grid was "EN19" on 50.150 ssb? That was the best DX heard.

Best DX worked on 6M was AA4ZZ EM96, K1TOL FN44 and WA2BPE FN12. A lot of work for only a few contacts. Was hoping for a tropo or big Es opening, but was not to be this time. Ran the IC-706MII at 100 watts to a 5 el M2 yagi at 20 feet on 6M, same radio with an amp and a "Jr Boomer" for 2M. Impressive to see how quickly the hard working people of Bermuda recovered from Hurricane Fabian's damage. -- N0JK