What a TRIP!  (Double-meaning there.)  I have been planning for several years to get back on EME and have been actively building my station for 7-1/2 months.  By the time the first weekend of the contest rolled around, I was only able to receive.  Still, I was able to copy 10 different stations off the moon from the USA, Alaska, Canada, Hawaii and Japan.  Now that's pretty sweet!

This success caused me to move into high gear to get the station capable of transmitting by the next EME Contest weekend.  I was able to do that and made my first Digital EME QSO on November 1st.  By the time the Second Weekend of the contest started, I had already made 11 EME QSO's and was READY to CONTEST!

I managed 33 QSO's and 27 Multipliers in just one weekend with 2x13 InnovAntennas (Horizontal) and 800-watts from a W6PQL amp.  That is certainly not a winning score but it represents more FUN than I can count and the culmination of a dream to get back on the moon that I have had for YEARS!

NEVER - NEVER - NEVER did I think such a small station could make that many QSO's via EME in a single weekend!  I've been a ham for 53 years and did 2-M EME back in the early 1980's for about 5 QSO's and in the 1990's on 70cm for 74 initials, all on CW of course.  This new Digital EME operating has totally invigorated me beyond belief!  Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me and to those who worked me in the contest.  Also, thanks to the ARRL for sponsoring this unique contest.  - - - Just wait till next year!  I'll be back, even bigger and better.