AA4LR #1 Southeast Division, Low Power, ARRL 160m

View of the shunt feed wires going up the tower.

I can't believe it. Before the 2010 ARRL 160m contest, I noticed that a score over 100,000 in the Southeast division might possibly win the Low Power category. As a result, I put in a pretty full effort with 100 watts and my modest antenna. I scored over 100,000, and I hoped it would last through the judging.

When the claimed scores came out on the 3830scores mailing list, it looked like I came in second place to WA1FCN in Alabama by only a couple of thousand points. We both had 689 QSOs, but he had one more multiplier -- 79 to my 78.

Well, the results database has been published. Looks like I came out on top. While WA1FCN had more multipliers, it looks like more of his QSOs were thrown out in the adjudication. I lost nine, but he lost 24, which put me ahead almost 2,000 points.

Not my first division leader low-power win -- the other came in 1989 in the ARRL Sweepstakes Phone. That was right after hurricane Hugo, and a lot of Caribbean stations were off the air.

I still can't believe it.