2010 ARRL DX Contest Diary

I intended to use Twitter and the blog to send out updates on how the portable HF station was doing for the 2010 ARRL DX Contest, but my Blackberry decided to crap out on Friday afternoon, nixing that idea. I changed gears and decided to keep a "diary" of the contest and post it once I was able to get some internet access.

March 6, 0045 Local
From around 0001 local to 0030 local, I attempted to work some of the contest with my portable HF station using the FT-897D and a 40 Meter Hamstick. I set up behind work after I got off duty. I was most disappointed with the results. I heard 10-12 very strong stations but I just wasn't able to break through to any of them but one. Most stations were European, but the one station I was able to work was in Barbados. Trying to work these contests with 100 watts and a G5RV is bad enough, akin to taking a knife to a gunfight; trying to use this setup on 40 Meters was futile. There were just so many stations with more power and/or better antenna setups that I was lost in the noise.

March 6, 1015 Local
I came out to the South Dunes picnic area on Jekyll Island and set up the portable HF station to make another attempt at the Contest. I meant to bring the G5RV Jr. down this week to use it for the contest while at the picnic area but I left it in Savannah, so I am limited to the hamsticks. I set the FT-897 up on a picnic table and put the magmount for the hamsticks on a nearby manhole cover. 20 Meters seemed like the best bet for this time of the morning, so I gave it a try. The results on 20 Meters were much the same as the results on 40 Meters last night; I could hear a lot of stations, but just couldn't get through the bigger and better stations to make the contacts. I managed one 20 Meter contact into Dominica.

March 6, 1100 Local
After the frustration I was experiencing on 20 Meters, I decided to give 15 Meters a try. I'll be honest, I was really getting discouraged after my experience on 40 Meters and 20 Meters. 15 Meters worked out much better for me, though. I was hearing a lot of stations and although I still couldn't get through to them all, I was able to work 8 stations in Portugal, Martinique, Bosnia, Curacao, Aruba, Italy (2), and Dominica. 15 Meters was in really good condition and was the easiest of the 3 bands that I tried to work.

March 6, 1300 Local
With the "triple-back" schedule I'm working this weekend, that was it for my attempts at working the contest. After trying 15 Meters, I was able to leave Jekyll Island feeling much better and not considering that my attempt was a total wash-out. I was hearing a lot of stations, and I think that in less congested band conditions, I probably would have had a bit more success so I'm looking forward to the next opportunity to operate the portable station.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT