Dahs & Dits Return

So last weekend was a learning experience, to some degree as I participated in the CQ World Wide WPX RTTY for nearly 12 hours. Instead of working all bands, I decided to use a single band and run low power (100 watts). It made the contest much easier since I didn’t have to watch the propagation charts and make decisions as when to change bands or miss those 10M openings that suddenly appear.

This weekend, I was able to get Saturday off and will hopefully put in 12-14 hours in the ARRL International DX Contest – CW, which begins on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately I am still without the use of my SteppIR BigIR, so no low bands again in this contest and I still have not taken down the antenna and sent off the EHU to SteppIR to get it fixed.

This will only be the second time I have participated in the contest, the first was in 2010 and I only made 99 QSOs. I expect a much better showing this time around. I have some decisions to make tonight as it relates to the contest. I have not decided if I want to run single band again or go all band, using 10/15/20M for the period of time I will be operating. Chances are high I will continue to chase new DX in this contest and go all band, unlike I did last weekend in the RTTY contest.

I am going to review propagation charts, as well as my efforts and put together my goals on Friday. Just a guess I should be able to put up 400 QSOs and hopefully work lots of new DXCC that I need on all of those bands. Looking at what I have confirmed (in LoTW) I only have 22 confirmed DXCC on 10M and 20M along with 45 on 15M. That means I have a lot of work to do to increase those totals and work towards the 5BDXCC! I assume those numbers are a bit low unless I include QSL cards I have received. Regardless, I am looking forward to my operating time.

Queso Dip

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
dash garlic powder
dash cayenne pepper (optional)
corn starch (as needed)
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups salsa or 10 oz. can of Rotel

DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan combine dry ingredients (nutritional yeast, flour, paprika, salt, and garlic powder). Whisk in water. Continue to whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in Rotel. Return to low heat and cook just long enough for Rotel to heat.

SOURCE: Dr. McDougall Discussion Boards from redhairraising