12/18/2008 | K1JT We operated again this year under the contest's "neighborhood multi-op" rule, making 144 MHz QSOs at the K1JT station and 432, 1296, 2304, and 10368 MHz QSOs at the station of K2UYH. We used both CW and JT65, All-Band unassisted, and were pleased to improve on our 2007 score by about 35%.

In the September weekend K2UYH, K2TXB, and K1JT manned the K2UYH station. We used two receivers; when on 2.3 GHz one was usually tuned around 2304.100 and the other around 2320.100. On 10 GHz we simply had two operators using independent receivers, both covering the region around 10368.100. The K2UYH 8m dish makes an excellent antenna at 13 cm and a poor (but still usable) antenna at 3 cm. We had about 80 W and 100 W at the feed on the two bands.

In the October weekend K1DS and K1JT operated on 2m, using a 4x14 dual-polarization yagis, about 1100 W, and the Linrad and MAP65 software. We found activity to be poor on CW but excellent on JT65, so we spent more time in the digital mode. Meanwhile, operations at K2UYH were handled by K2UYH, K2TXB and W2KV. Activity was good on both 432 and 1296 MHz -- mostly CW, though we made a number of JT65 QSOs as well. We ran 1 kW on 432 and 500 W on 1296.

In November K2BMI joined K1DS and K1JT at the 144 MHz station and K2LNS joined K2UYH and K2TXB on 432 and 1296. New QSOs were starting to become more difficult to find, but in general we found that activity was still excellent on all three bands.

Our claimed totals are 356 QSOs and 160 multipliers. We had great fun operating together, working many old friends and a number of new ones! We hope to be back again, next year.

73 to all from K1JT (Joe), K2UYH (Al), K1DS (Rick), K2BMI (Jack), K2LNS (Herb), K2TXB (Russ), and W2KV (Dave). -- K1JT