ARRL 10M 2010

[NQ6U]

Can't make a sked, I'm QRP and that means unassisted. I'd think you would be spoiled for choice with the addition of the Mexican States.

Actually, I'm not participating in the contest but I'd recently built a 10m wire dipole and was just curious to see if we could QSO at that distance. After going out in the shack and listening for a while, it became obvious that it wouldn't have worked. I heard a couple of stations out of northern CA and Oregon and that was it. Nothing at all out of Mexico. I think I'd need something with a little bit of gain over a dipole if I expect to work 10m DX under the current propagation conditions.

[KG4CGC]

Actually, I'm not participating in the contest but I'd recently built a 10m wire dipole and was just curious to see if we could QSO at that distance. After going out in the shack and listening for a while, it became obvious that it wouldn't have worked. I heard a couple of stations out of northern CA and Oregon and that was it. Nothing at all out of Mexico. I think I'd need something with a little bit of gain over a dipole if I expect to work 10m DX under the current propagation conditions.

It will take a leetle work to find the sweet spot, OCF folded dipole set up near vertical or as a sloper. Sweet spot is like 2/3 element on one side and 1/3 element on the other. Where it gives you the best performance could be 6 inches to the left or right of where you attach your window line to the folded dipole part. Feed it with a halfwave length of window line.
Anyone have any other sugg est ions?

[KJ3N]

Anyone have any other sugg est ions?

Yeah. Wait for the solar flux to get above 95 before you bother with 10m.