ARRL DX 2011

A certificate arrived in the mail this week — First Place QRP Single Operator North Texas, ARRL 2011 DX CW Contest. From looking at the results page it also looks like I finished 5th in the Midwest Region. It’s always fun to see good finishes even with my paltry QSO count, which was right at 200. That’s the nice thing about entering in the QRP category, although making contacts can often be frustrating — e.g. listening to a CQ by a great DX station who just can’t seem to hear you at all.

That brings me to the thought about how best to enter the contest this year. I’d actually like to enter in QRP category and apply some of what I’ve learned the last year in the LP category. I might even win something rather than being back in the pack of LP stations. However, I also realize that I’d like to really increase my country count on 40 meters and 80 meters for DXCC and the CQ DX Award or even CQ WAZ. In fact I have my sights set on earning the CQ DX Award endorsement for working 100 countries across both the 40 and 80 meter bands. Plus, I’d like to get my country counts much closer to 100 across all the higher bands as well.

So for this contest at any rate, I’ll be entering LP Single Op unassisted with my verticals along with my 15 meter Moxon. Maybe the next contest will be right for getting back into the QRP fray.

I hope to work you during the contest.