06/25/2008 | WA7JTM This year the Arizona Six Shooters operated LMO Low Power Portable from DM53 in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona, @ 9330 ft ASL. Operators were WA7JTM (Pete), N7AMA (Tom), WW7B (Morgan), W7NS (Terry), and M0KA (my dog).

Contest conditions were really good this year with Six meters open almost all of the contest. The first few hours looked like a
possible repeat of last years contest was in the works, then...suddenly...silently...WHAMMO! Game On!

From that point on Six stayed open pretty much continuously until a few hours before the contest ended. Saturday the opening was to the east with every call district in play. However, we worked very few 2's and 3's and oddly lots of 1's. Seems that we were jumping over PA and NY. Sunday started out as a repeat of Saturday with lot's of stuff to the east, but then the band switched to the west for one of the best California openings we have ever had. We worked ES in as close as DM12, 13, and 14. That opening continued on until the contest ended.

Not to be outdone, two meters opened up on Sunday with a series of short ES openings to Arkansas, Minnesota, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. The longest contact was with N8UM/R in EM85...not bad for two meters. Local high band conditions were down from last year...I think everyone was on Six working the opening.

Overall our hard earned score will not break any records, but it was a heck of a lot better, and a lot more fun, than last years contest.

So what will 2009 bring...feast...famine...we will see.

Thanks to all who worked us. C U next year.

73...Pete WA7JTM/7 and the gang...DM53hx -- WA7JTM