08/04/2008 | K0AWU This was my best August UHF Contest ever, I more than tripled my previous contest high. Good tropo conditions Saturday night really helped with 902 and above. Then during the last hour of the contest, a front came through north of Minneapolis that provided 8 quick 10Ghz rainscatter QSOs. Every previous personal high for 902 and above was exceeded and the old 432 high numbers were equaled.

Saturday night I had good tropo conditions extending over 600miles to the south, but it resulted in only a half dozen of so stations being worked on 222 and 432, what a shame given the population in those areas. NLRS "Rovermania" rovers accounted for 51 of my 107 QSOs. It seemed that home stations were in short supply for the entire contest, but many of them were known to be out "Roving".

Some highlights: Working K2DRH on 902 and 1296 again (411miles), band sweeps with W0ZQ/R 222-1296 plus 10Ghz tropo in EN43,EN33 and EN25, KA9UVY EM58(660miles) on 432. (I copied him for several hours on 902 and 1296, but he could not hear me.), working my own grid on 10Ghz!! and 222-1296 sweeps with W9FZ/R from EN43 and EN32.

It seemed like the general activity was down, many usual calls are entirely void from the logs. Still a great time! Thanks all & 73 Bill -- K0AWU