Ready for CQ WW SSB? Mind the question mark. This weekend has been coming for a long time and I’ve been hiding under a jam-packed agenda checking off to do’s and showing a total disregard of the mistress that is ham radio. Luckily she is very patient. Tower was raised on Wednesday. Yesterday evening after work I wanted to install the brand new RX loop for the first time. I encountered some setbacks (yeah why wait until 48 hours before the contest) and my problem solving forces seemed to be already hibernating. So I bailed out of this and instead I put up the low band wires. After some pruning by folding back the wire the CW-tweaked vertical resonated on 3700 kHz with a 2:1 SWR dip broad enough for some mults. Last year I had very good runs below 3700 so I can keep out of the +3700-mayhem.
I did some software updates, tested N1MMLogger and DVK, worked a loud W2 on 10 and was glad to log a few other loud East Coasters there. Maybe not as good as last year but it seems we’ll be spending some time on the Mighty Ten Meters after all.
The plan for Friday is to put up the RX loop if it stops raining. Yesterday’s problem is already solved in my head. Now only execute the procedure. Parts and tools are already prepared. Then some dry run on 10m to get the vibe and end the day resting on the couch. I hope to catch some sleep too.
Shouldn’t I plan some strategy? Especially with my good friend OT1A probably out to get me in SOAB Assisted. For the first time we can fight with similar means. Same tower, comparable antennas, rural QTH 30km apart. No excuses this time and no margin for errors or beauty naps. CQ CONTEST!