04/29/2009 | P40A I brought a new computer with me for this contest after having intermittent graphics problems with my station computer during my last visit to Aruba. It turned out that the problem was not with the computer at all, but the monitor so I purchased a new one at a local computer shop. The system worked fine during the week, but unfortunately hour before the contest started, the computer went completely dead. I quickly replaced it with my old station computer and had it running only 5 minutes before the contest began. I started on 20m, but the band closed after making only 149 contacts. Luckily, 40m was in great shape and I also had pretty good success on 80m and 160m keeping me busy all night long. On Saturday morning conditions on 20m were excellent, however the band was quite crowded as it was the only one open. I little later in the morning 15m opened, but the band was only opened to certain areas of the US at a time. Even with the spotty openings this band produced the fasted rates of the contest peaking at 309 contacts per hour. Throughout the first day I keep a close eye on 10m and never heard an opening into the US. During the second evening, the low band conditions were a little noisier making it difficult to add new 80m and 160m multipliers. 40m was still very good during the second night and I spend most of my time here. I also took a food and nap break when the rates were slow. On Sunday 20m was open strong all day. Propagation on 15m was still spotty, but it was very usable and it had much less QRM than 20m did. I kept a watchful eye on 10m again and with 2 hours left in the contest I still had not heard an opening. Then magically 10m opened to a few areas of the US. I switched bands and worked a few stations in Texas and Oklahoma. I continued working more stations in the southwest and was very surprised when W3LPL in Maryland called me. Apparently propagation toward other areas of the U.S. was improving. Shortly later stations from other areas of the US called me and working every new multiplier this late in a contest was very exciting. For a brief 15 minute period, the band was wide open and I was able to work stations at a 300/ hour pace. The 10m opening only lasted about 1 hours but it was very exciting. I worked 32 stations on all six bands. Other than the initial computer problem the station performed perfectly and this contest was very fun. I would like to thank everyone for the QSOs . Please QSL via WD9DZV. I have a contract to sell my home in Aruba and I thought that this would be my last contest from the station, however the new owners generously agreed to let me keep the antennas up and continue to use the station for a while longer. I look forward to many more Aruba vacations and contests.


73,
John P40A john@p40a.com -- KK9A