Thanks for the input. 

I was up to 40 states confirmed on 10 meters after 25 years living in Minnesota.  I moved to Iowa 6 years ago and now my total is up to 29 states confirmed.

OK, backscatter propagation isn’t there all the time.  Here’s a link: http://ecjones.org/backscatter.html


I am building a Moxon antenna which will be ready for the ARRL 10 meter contest. 

During contests, I get requests to repeat information on SSB.  On CW information is almost always received the first time with no repeats necessary. 
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I've used propnet.org , an automated network of PSK stations on 10 meters, to show when and where the 10 meter band is open..  It’s discouraging to see that no contacts have been logged during the past year between the station in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Wisconsin or Illinois.

I can call CQ on CW and even if I get no replies, the reverse beacon network reports which stations can hear me and the measured signal to noise ratio.     

I've tried a CW beacon at my home station and can hear it 35 miles away with a mobile setup.  The beacon was running 100 watts to a ground mounted 4BTV vertical. 

I may be able to exploit the “Contacts must be made from the same location, or from locations no two of which are more than 50 miles apart” rule   by setting up a portable station 49 miles northeast of my home QTH in order to work stations in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Another idea is to point the beam up.  The snowtel meteor scatter network uses a yagi antenna with an elevation angle of 45 degrees.

73, Lynn

I'm looking for any tips on achieving  a 10 meter WAS award.

I'm having difficulty working the states that are too close for sporadic E propagation.   

I participate in the ARRL and Ten-X contests.  I've only heard North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota for the first time in last year's ARRL 10 meter contest.  I have never heard Illinois or Missouri.

Is 10 meters considered the most difficult band for a 5 band WAS award?   

73,  Lynn

I tilted up a 9-60 tower using three people.  The rope went over a single story house.  One person on the ground to start walking up the tower.  One person on the roof to keep the rope from damaging shingles.  Once the tower was vertical, I climbed the tower and used a gin pole to lift the tribander to the top.

Be aware that Universal specs their wind load ratings based on the material yield strength.   Rohn uses material yield strength divided by a 1.5 safety factor.   

The tower top section was designed for typical TV antenna sized masts.  Verify that your mast will fit thru the top of the tower.  I remember having to purchase a smaller diameter mast. The mast clamp plate on the Ham 4 rotor also had to be flipped 180 degrees to make it work with the smaller diameter mast. 

I had issues with the plastic in the A3 element to boom clamps cracking (-20 F Minnesota winters) and the reflector element rotating around the boom. This has been fixed by going to an all metal clamp.  Good to see a manufacturer improve their product.   

73,  Lynn

I put up a cheap and dirty 20 meter dipole using #32 magnet wire and fishing line.

The center is supported by 10 feet of 1 1/2 inch PVC that is tie wrapped to my deck railing.  The open line feed line is inside the PVC tube for a better appearance.   

I expected this antenna wouldn't survive a single winter but it has been up since 2008.

73, Lynn

I store QSL cards in plastic flip top boxes designed to hold index cards.  Shoe boxes also work to store cards.

I am pursuing a 10 meter WAS award.  I have a photo album with a pouch (4" x 6") for each state, arranged alphabetically, to store these QSLs.      

To display cards on the wall in the shack, I connect the cards using a stapler.  The cards are butted together with no overlap and two staples hold each card to the one above it.  This makes the cards easier to read instead of being behind plastic in a purchased QSL card holder.

I also use LotW with a return rate is 45%.  I miss receiving QSLs with the envelopes and stamps from overseas.

 

Another suggestion is to work DX on 10 meters. You won't be able to hear the majority of state side statiions calling the DX station in a pileup.

73,   Lynn

I'm looking for the an inexpensive HF transceiver that won't drift on PSK.  What was the first Icom to use a PLL?

 73 de Lynn

Thanks for all the suggestions.  I knew that practicing 5 letter random groups only makes one more proficient at copying 5 letter random groups.  The Ryder "sight and sound" code records (ah, 40 years ago) that I used to learn the code had random groups which forces one to copy letter by letter.

I think Rufz has a simular drawback that you are forced to copy letter by letter.

I tried Icwo and it gave me practice words that don't occur often in QSOs.  Words like adobe, judiciary, and boundaries.

CW helps reduce the number of repeats required in contest QSOs compared to SSB.  This is especially true using a vertical and 100 watts.

73 de Lynn, WB0U

I've heard of all sorts of odd ball antennas.

I just finished a 20 meter PSK QSO with a N2***/4 who was operating from a third story apartment:

His antenna was a 20 foot length of wire flushed down the toilet.


I think he said the remote tuner was bonded to the bathtub.

That was a new antenna that I hadn't heard of before.....

(Let the jokes about "crappy" antennas begin)

73 de Lynn   

What is the easiest way to learn to copy CW in your head?  I've have always copied by writing every thing down.  I progressed to the point where I could copy 20 wpm 100% and get one minute solid copy at 25 wpm.  I can recognize "the" "ing" and "ion" as sounds instead of individual character.

Most of my code practice has been copying W1AW so "the" "ing" and "ion" do not happen in QSOs.  (I'll never mispell amateur.  It is a real common word in practice texts. )

I've tried shutting my eyes and attempt to visualize the characters like a scrolling Broadway sign but it didn't work for me.

Can anyone offer advice on how to copy in your head?  73 de Lynn WB0U