12/12/2005 |
K2IZ
Not too bad of a contest, I remember back in the early 70's when the band was so bad, the biggest signal was someone in the Air Force reserves, operating from a C-130 that was flying down the east coast. I am still using a Kenwood TS-530S, the antenna is an A-3 that I put up back in the early 80's, probably the same thing for the feed line. The antenna's been through a couple of hurricances, numerous Nor'easters, plus the usual summer thunderstorms, the elements are not exactly in line but, the SWR is still low and I'm still making contacts. The band was very interesting, early in the contest I worked the local stations here on Long Island, struggled to work PA,NJ and CT but late saturday night something opened, same thing on Sunday. I'm on the very south shore of Long Island and it was interesting to look at what I worked, the only 4 area I missed was VA, MS in the 5 area. MI was the only state I was able to work to the North and there were times that I couldn't tell the difference between a station 5 miles from the QTH and a station in the 5 area. CA, OR and NM on Sunday but with all the old equipment, and antenna and feed line that's been up over 20 years, unless someone is fooling around on the band, I had a ZL3 come back on the 2nd try on CW. Yes we are in the low part of the cycle but whatever was happening on the band made for a very interesting contest. -- K2IZ