I finally got around to reading the January/February issue of the National Contest Journal. I always enjoy several of their columns — Profiles, Propagation, Contest Tips, and now RTTY Contesting. It is always neat to look at the contest scores as well to see how you fared. So it was nice to see that I finished 3rd in the August NAQP CW in the W5 call area in QRP. I also note that all the W5 QRP entries were from the DFW Contest Group.

I had to laugh, however, to see that I finished sixth in the QRP category in the North American Sprint CW in September. I had a whopping 16 points from my 4 QSO’s. You may recall my earlier write up on how my head was swimming from just that whirlwind encounter with a CW sprint. I should also mention that I finished last…

I’m not exactly sure this qualifies as an adventure.

A certificate arrived in the mail this week — First Place QRP Single Operator North Texas, ARRL 2011 DX CW Contest. From looking at the results page it also looks like I finished 5th in the Midwest Region. It’s always fun to see good finishes even with my paltry QSO count, which was right at 200. That’s the nice thing about entering in the QRP category, although making contacts can often be frustrating — e.g. listening to a CQ by a great DX station who just can’t seem to hear you at all.

That brings me to the thought about how best to enter the contest this year. I’d actually like to enter in QRP category and apply some of what I’ve learned the last year in the LP category. I might even win something rather than being back in the pack of LP stations. However, I also realize that I’d like to really increase my country count on 40 meters and 80 meters for DXCC and the CQ DX Award or even CQ WAZ. In fact I have my sights set on earning the CQ DX Award endorsement for working 100 countries across both the 40 and 80 meter bands. Plus, I’d like to get my country counts much closer to 100 across all the higher bands as well.

So for this contest at any rate, I’ll be entering LP Single Op unassisted with my verticals along with my 15 meter Moxon. Maybe the next contest will be right for getting back into the QRP fray.

I hope to work you during the contest.

The certificate finally arrived for the 2010 IARU HF Championships. I got word via QST in March that I’d placed 8th in North America Region 7 in the Single Operator QRP CW category. That was a nice accomplishment.

K5ND 2010 IARU HF Championship 8th in Single Op QRP North America

I enjoy this contest a great deal with the 24 hour format. That gives me some time for chores and seeing my family on a weekend. This year’s was even more fun as I moved up to the Low Power category with 100 watts, people even answered me in my intensive search and pounce effort. In 2012 I need to get into the running mode and perhaps even try So2V with a second receiver in the K3. That will take an investment. We’ll see what happens.

I hope you’ve been able to compete in the IARU. Perhaps I’ve even worked you. Let me know.