Fifteen minutes before CQP began I was checking my N1MM logging program and it began locking up.  I reinstalled N1MM and got it working exactly at 1600Z as the contest was beginning.  Everything worked fine until Sunday morning when I again had to deal with RFI issues that locked up N1MM.  After an hour of lost radio time trouble shooting, I finally solved the problem by installing a second toroid on the USB cable from the K4 to my PC.  I already had one toroid on the K4 end, but adding a second torrid at the PC end fixed the problem.

In spite of the RFI problems, this year's CQP was another great experience, resulting in my personal best score to date with 1,328 CW and 307 SSB for a total of 1,635 QSOs.  I used all wire antennas launched at around 50 ft high in the surrounding pine trees.  In addition to dipoles for 20 & 40 meters and an 80M inverted vee,  I used a rectangular wire loop antenna for 10M and a three-element wire beam for 15M.  All of my antennas worked very well.  Starting on 10 and 15M I kept a 100/hr. rate for the first four hours.  I ended up with just 56 mults having missed ND, VE4 and NT which I usually get.  I also missed PE, NL, NU and YT.

The great radio conditions were really enjoyable, particularly since there was a serious CME forecasted, but it never materialized.  And thanks to the dedicated efforts of N6DE and the NCCC in organizing another excellent CQP.

Rig: K4, KPA1500, wire antennas high in the pine trees plus 8,000 Ft above sea level in Mammoth Lakes on the Eastern side of the beautiful High Sierra

10 Meter Horizontal Loop Antenna                                                                  Where the wires get Switched						Three Element 15 Meter Wire Beam and Dipoles
CQP 2024 County Expedition Station W6ML                                 A Friendly Buck Visits while I'm taking my Wire Beam down					Wire Antenna Farm Packed up for the Trip Home

California Bear is QRV at Lake George