12/11/2006 | G4CCH This was my 24th ARRL EME Contest and as usual it brought about the biggest activity of the year including several new stations trying EME for the first time.

My operation in the contest was as usual unassisted. However, this time I will be entering in the assisted section, as I checked into the HB9DRI 23cm low power activity logger after my session on 15th October. My contest session had ended, but the contest was still in progress for others to the west of me. This resulted in a receive only test with VA7MM and WW2R (who I had already worked on CW) to explore the limits of my window on Moonset. To me this is of no consequence, but I want to ensure that my entry is within the rules.

I was active predominantly on CW, which is my favourite mode, and also on JT65c. There was plenty of CW activity, and at times the lower 25KHz of 23cm sounded more like the 20m CW segment, with some signals peaking over S9. Unfortunately my memory keyer gave up after 20+ years use, so I had to send CQ etc by hand, I WILL be replacing the keyer and despite my growing interest in JT65, CW will be my main EME mode in the years to come.

Digital activity was more difficult and time consuming to find, and after brief test using WinRad and a 28 MHz Softrock was convinced that with some work this could be used to advantage in future. Unfortunately, I never got around to making it work properly before the final session, so virtually all my JT65c QSOs were the result of calling CQ for long periods, thrashing my PA, and hoping that someone would find me. JT65 activity is quite low on 23cm, so the potential boosting my score was never going to be that great, but I did manage to add 8 scoring QSOs so it was worth doing I think.

Despite my medium sized setup, I dont think I missed many stations. I was called several times by someone that I failed to identify turns out it was PA3DZL, and if I hadnt have been so tired might have completed. I also heard WB2BYP, DK7LJ and DF9QX, but never got an opportunity to work them.

I managed to pick up a few initials DL1HYZ, UA3DJG, ON4BCB and PA3FXB, good to see them on 23cm for the first time.

Many thanks to who all who operated during the contest, and especially those that I managed to have a QSO with you made it great fun, without activity there will be no contest. -- G4CCH