After 26 hours, of which I have participated 15 hours I am pleased with my progression. Thanks in part to some NCCC members we got my upside down problem figured out and I was able to join in the contesting, albeit a bit late, but hey, better late than never.

Currently I have operated 15.5 hours and have logged 292 QSOs, 194 prefixes for a score of 130,756. I am well within range of my goal of 500 QSOs. I think if I can push myself through the late night and early morning I could see 600 QSOs. I will keep this figured in the back of my mind.

Low power operating has been a bitch, let me tell you. I am somewhat limited because my 5-band hex is only 20? up and the BigIR does not have the most optimal ground radial field. But with all those factors I am still pleased. 80M was hard last night 18Qs and 14 prefixes, while 40M was a bit better, 48 QSOs and 38 prefixes. This morning and afternoon it was a heavy dose of 20M that yielded 160 QSOs and 109 prefixes. But I had the best luck, so it seemed on 15M where I scored many JAs, and other Asian entities.

I am on a 2 hour break and will evaluate what time I am going to be coming back to start S&P on 40M. I figured I will work about 9 hours on Sunday 0700-1600, which means about 6 hours of operating tonight into the early morning. Unfortunately 40/80M are the big point bands, but it really feels like work making a QSO. Yet I am ready, gonna eat and relax for a bit then it’s back in the saddle.