The Double Whammy Contest Weekend

Coming off a very enjoyable ARRL 10-Meter Contest (83 contacts) we move headlong into the OK DX RTTY Contest and the RAC Winter Contest, both contests running on 19 December from 0000z to 2359z. It was the 2008 RAC Winter Contest, along with the CQWW DX CW that gave me the contesting bug. It was also one of the few opportunities I called ‘CQ’ from N6RO, the local big gun in town. I am quite sure if my schedule allowed it, I would take part in a team effort at ‘RO’ unfortunately as my work schedule has it I find myself working Saturday and Sunday.

I do plan on participating in one or both of the contests Friday afternoon and towards the tail end on Saturday for two hours. The RAC was a great time last year from what I recall, a definite learning experience at ‘RO’ where suddenly you cannot copy a call sign the first time. LOL. Anyway, between the two contests if I am lucky I will hope to log about 200 contacts. The RTTY contest holds a bit more interest for me because I am still working towards my CQ WAZ Award and need much of Europe. The only drawback will be the band conditions to EU as the sun sets on the West Coast. Regardless it will be a good time.