The strategy for this sprint was to use an omnidirectional antenna for the first hour in order to see if I could break my previous first-hour record of 22 contacts. I was off to a good start with one contact per minute for the first 7 minutes. By the time the first hour was done, the omni had done its job, providing a new personal best of 25 contacts. I switched to the beam for the rest of the sprint. Tom KC2SFU, my second operator when roving, activated my "Hilltop B" and had to shut down due to rain, but not before handing out the only contact I had with my own grid. I was concerned that the rain might head east to where I was, but I lucked out because it took some other path. After a difficult September contest, the activity level in this sprint was a major improvement, and my all-time second best QSO count for this event. I found K0BAK/R in 3 of his 4 grids and he had great signals: FN10 5x8, FM19 5x7, and FM29 5x4. Thanks to some minor hurricane-induced tropo north of Hurricane Jose, the FN30 stations were louder than usual: AA2TT 5x9+10, WA2VNV 5x6, N2SLO 5x8. Best DX contacts were Maine station K1DY FN54 at 315 miles (506 km) for whom I provided a best DX to the west, and southern Virginia station KJ4MCZ at 457 miles (735 km) who was worked on phone. Other notable contacts were K3TLP EN91 (288 mi / 463 km) to the west, and VE3IQZ FN04 (226 mi / 363 km) to the northwest, for whom I provided a best DX.
BAND QSOs QSO UNIQUE PTS. GRIDS ---------------------------- 144 55 55 22 === claimed score: 1210 ===
MD UTC CALL GRID RST PH 2300 N1JEZ FN44 PH 2301 W1VD FN31 PH 2303 KA3FQS FN20 PH 2304 NG3J FN20 PH 2306 K3AJ FM19 PH 2307 KR1ST FN21 PH 2307 VE3ZV EN92 5x1 PH 2312 W2KV FN20 5x8 PH 2313 W1EX FN42 PH 2314 N2NT FN20 PH 2319 KC2SFU FN22 5x9+10 PH 2320 K1TEO FN31 5x9 PH 2326 K2ARM FN33 PH 2329 WC2K FM29 PH 2329 W9KXI FN12 5x3 PH 2338 K1IIG FN31 PH 2339 WA3NUF FN20 5x4 PH 2341 W3ICC/3 FN20 5x1 PH 2341 W3EKT FM19 CW 2352 K1DY FN54 PH 2352 K1PXE FN31 PH 2353 W2SJ FM29 5x2 PH 2353 W2BVH FN20 5x4 PH 2354 WA2FGK FN21 PH 0010 AA2TT FN30 5x9+10 PH 0014 N3RG FM29 5x9 PH 0015 K1DS FN20 5x5 PH 0018 KB3VQL FN21 PH 0020 K3GNC FN20 5x7 PH 0024 VE3IQZ FN04 5x3 CW 0031 W1RGA FN41 PH 0037 N3NGE FN20 PH 0041 K3MD FN10 5x7 PH 0046 KA1R FN42 PH 0049 KA1ZE/3 FN01 PH 0051 K3TLP EN91 PH 0053 K3TUF FN10 5x9 PH 0118 WA2VNV FN30 5x6 PH 0121 N2SLO FN30 5x8 PH 0123 K3WHC FN10 PH 0126 K0BAK/R FN10 5x8 PH 0132 KO4YC FM17 PH 0133 K3ZO FM18 PH 0139 KA2LIM FN12 PH 0142 KJ4MCZ FM06 PH 0211 K1HC FN42 PH 0213 K1RZ FM19 5x9 PH 0215 KA3FAD FN20 PH 0215 N3BBI FN20 PH 0223 K0BAK/R FM19 5x7 PH 0227 KW2T FN42 PH 0242 WA2ONK FN20 5x5 PH 0250 WB2CUT FN20 PH 0251 AF1T FN43 PH 0258 K0BAK/R FM29 5x4