You were a good strong signal on forty - but only when the rock-crushing station adjacent to you stopped CQing to take a breath! After a while I just gave up!
I got five successful chases today - all on 5 megs!
Brian
I like contests and special event stations for the simple reason that it gives me an opportunity to practice my poor cw with confidence. Have to say this weekend on 40m was bad and I struggled to make contacts. One DL was it and no SOTA contacts. Should say I only run max of 5w even from home to a low long wire.
Yes Brian, but Iâm not the one wanting to impose limits on something that is perfectly legitimate. Youâre the one wanting the limits on others.
Now, Iâm off to listen to the whistling in my ears. Thatâs despite wearing earplugs for both support and main acts!
SORRY but we (Rod & Viki) have had to cancel
As Rod and Viki have had to cancel tomorrow due to unforseen circumstances I have also withdrawn my alert for the joint activation. I will try and activate a few summits mid week if wx is ok.
73 Allan GW4VPX
This, too, is a reversible argument, Andy. The contesters are the ones that are actually imposing limits on the non contesters by making their perfectly legitimate activities impossible, and I am only advocating a compromise that would make it possible for both parties to continue their legitimate activities.
I hope the gig was thoroughly enjoyable.
Brian
Hi Karl,
I could hear Carolyn over here in Germany but I had no chance of working her with the amount of QRO stations close by on the band. A few contests DO limit the frequencies on which a competing station may operate (at least in the rules), it appears this was not one of those contests. Perhaps this is something to be taken up with the contest organisers? One could see it that, giving contesters less space will increase the difficulty of the contest and hence improve the challenge.
73 Ed.
1 Like
Well the ARRL International DX Contest/SSB is on the weekend of 5-6 March on bands 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10. Power limit 1500w. QRM for some and for others an opportunity to get some missing DXCCâs 
Mike
It is such an opportunity Mike. It also allows portable stations to see how well their gear is working. Call a DX contest station and donât give him a report till he gives you one. That way he has to get your details right for the points! If he comes back straight away with 59 you know you are a good signal with him. If he asks for your call 5 or more times before giving you 59 you know you are less good!
It will be hard for non-CW stations as most of the bands will be busy. As the sun goes to sleep, 17m and more so 12m become open less and that leaves only 30m contest free. CW/Digimodes are the order of the day for Europe/America on 30m which makes things harder again for non-CW stations.
However, Iâd expect there to be quite a lot of activity on 10m when it may be very quiet otherwise.
Yes Andy. One of the things I like, chasing, SOTA or DX, is that it motivates me to try and get things right here with antenna etc. Contests certainly test the filtering and efficiency of receivers. I will most likely hunt on 15 and 10.
Mike
Always said this about contests if can take advantage of them do so. We all moan about the contests donât we but this weekend was a bit of heavy mess but never mind just try to venture else where and may be come across a good one, am after as worked a few that way.
1500w and hereâs me with my piddly 10w doing rather well.
Lovely it when you get a big gun going i got X amount of wattage and bloody great antenna and replies when i tell them working off a wet bit of string and 10w only. Oh for a bit of land on top of hill and the gear and money to supply it one can dream but end of day, one makes of one has here, not a lot, but enjoys it.
The days of me getting WARC bands is getting the little closer, the penny pile is growing 
Karl
Only if you live in the USA or Canada. Stations outside North America are only allowed to work W and VE stations in this contest, so no new DXCCs for us.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
And when you do eventually give him a report, give him 4 and 7.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
But log it as 48 and submit a check log!
Pure genius!
Brian
Hi Walt,
Tactics ++ Walt. There will like last years be loads of stations outside USA âwarming upâ and getting their f. established then you bag them. Works for me 
Mike
Over the weekend 20M was literally wall to wall with contesters and it was with great difficulty I found a small clear spot in the CW section of the band. After a few cqâs started working a couple of EU ops only to have a very powerful contest station open up barely a khz away. Thanks to the filters on the KX3 managed to complete the contacts although with difficulty.
No qrlâs to check whether the frequency is clear, the contester just opened up.
Can well imagine the frustration of someone on a summit with a 5w qrp rig and a piece of wire.
As suggested earlier there should be certain frequencies on each band left clear for non contester operators.
2 Likes
Dave G3TQQ and I were on G/NP-020 Cold Fell on Sunday. After working stations on 145-fm and 7-cw we had a listen on 7-ssb and just couldnât find a clear frequency so we took the easy option and changed frequency to 14-cw/ssb. With only 5W at our disposal we were pleased to get a few US stations and a Canadian to compensate!
73
Nick
It has already started this Friday afternoon in terms of âwarming upâ, checking set up etc. Some absolute crunching signals⌠oh well.
Cheers
Mike
PS- reference - âWell the ARRL International DX Contest/SSB is on the weekend of 5-6 March on bands 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10. Power limit 1500w. QRM for some and for others an opportunity to get some missing DXCCâsâ