post contest season ruminations

It was fun and exhausting.  I added two contests to the schedule this year; the Tennessee Qso Party and the winter NAQP.  It was my first time for both contests.

Conditions were horrible for the NAQP.  Really made it where it was tough to keep going.  Calling and calling and no response.  I knocked off early in fact.  I finished in the upper one third of five land logs.  Maybe I am not serious enough. HI HI.

The Tennessee QSO Party was okay.  Still at times I called and could not find a station from Tennessee to come back to my call.  But those I did work were nice people.  Preliminary results show me as the leading out of state SSB hi power op. 

The HI qso party was in late August.  For some reason I thought it was later in the year.  But, never mind, there is was.  Having lived on Maui twice, I really enjoy working the islands.  I hope one of these days to go back where the weather suits my clothes.  Due to a variety of issue I did not get the chance to really work the contest, this year.  My operation time was very limited.  Somehow I came in first in my category from five land.  I can only think that the ops in Hawaii had mercy on a kama'aina and pulled me out when I called.  For that mahalo nui loa bra.

I previously wrote about the IOTA contest.  Provisional results were released last week.  While I exceeded my best, it was not enough to move me up in the standings this year.  I stayed in 8th place for my category: island fixed station, hi - power, phone only, un assisted.  I did operate 11 of the 12 hours this year.  Maybe next year I will make all 12 hours.  I don't really expect to ever win this contest, still I do enjoy the IOTA.  This year my work schedule really impacted my endurance.  I was real cognisant of the fact I had to travel the next afternoon.  My errors were not too bad this year, though I did lose one multiplier due to bad copy.

Let's see, I don't think I made any entries about the Texas Qso Party. 
My best ever TXQP.  I worked all 18 hours, as usual.  It sure is nice to be able to get a good nights sleep between days of operation.  No real technical issues, thankfully.  I worked approximately 250 more stations than last year and had 26 more multipliers.  Overall, I am very happy with how I did.  I really did/do want to take 1st in my category this year.  But, time and the committee will tell.  HI HI. 
It was a long contest.  A back injury suffered in May definitely made it self known during the contest.
I did work some real dx during the contest on 20 and 40 meters.  I think two of the dx stations I worked may have been 10 miles away across the bay.  I think I even worked one station that may have been 4 miles or so away.  Serious DX.  HI HI . 
Nice to work my friend Rafael, XE1RK in Mexico City during the contest.  Huge signal as always.  I was also honored to have the dxpedition XE1L/XF3 on IOTA NA-183 give me a call.  Thank you Luis.

So there we go.  A years contest season summed up.  It was fun. 
I hope to do it again.  I hope I had the chance to work you.

Until next time.
Very 73 and good dx
Leslie, ad5wb
Galveston Island, Texas