Another great 10 GHz & Up contest, operating only the first weekend, from Rhode Island at FN41EE
with friends AF1T, K3WHC and W1MKY.  Condx in far eastern New England did not show any special
tropospheric enhancement.  Mostly the distance contacts were made using Aircraft Scatter. Which
takes time and patience, …and patience.   It was good to work All the GHz operators, many of whom
expended extra energy to get to more than one location through the weekend.  I worked the following
stations in multiple ( ) locations: (8) KC0IYT; (4) W1AUV; (3) KA1NKD, W1FKF, N1DPM and AA1I; (2)
K2UA, WW2Y, K1MAP, N1JEZ, W1EX, K1ZZ, KB1QV, KA1ZD, W1AIM, and W1GHZ.  I appreciate each and every
station that got on for the first weekend.   Hoping next year it will again be a two weekend event
for me.   73,  Dave   K1RZ

This was my first year operating in the 10GHz-And-Up category. This summer I constructed a 24GHz
system based on the Wavelab transverter and PA0MHE control board. Many thanks to KM5PO for the
control board manufacturing runs and the helpful people on the Wavelab24GHz list, and to the
Rochester VHF group for bringing the W1GHZ Dual Band horns back into production.

I integrated the 10GHz and 24GHz transverters on an 18" DSS dish, as a second system. The dish horn
mount was a mix of a 3d printed holder for the horn on a square U-bolt attached to the dish arm.

Saturday of the August weekend had poor propagation that was somewhat made up for on Sunday -- when
I got my longest QSO of the contest at 519km. Hurricane Lee passed by the Boston, MA area on the
Saturday of the September weekend bringing strong winds and rain. This resulted in my contest plans
being redone late in the week to travel west out of the wind and rain. This was a new area that I
had not operated from previously.  Thanks to the generosity of N1DPM who shared information about
the sites he uses, and invited me to operate with his group.

Pictured is my 10GHz/24GHz system and 47GHz system set up at Point Judith lighthouse, RI. I was not
able to complete any contacts on 47GHz.

Had a great time getting back on 10Ghz this past weekend and had great weather in Iowa and not to
hot. Got the dish above the Corn and had consistent good quality QSO's for most of the contest.
Watch ACORA make digital QSO - need to add this to my setup and get on the digital modes!!!!

I anticipated the 10GHz and up contest for several weeks, eagerly counting down the days. This was
my second year participating in the contest. I was excited to contact some of the same stations I
had previously contacted in 2022 and meet new operators as well. This year my Dad, Doug K8DP, and I
operated from three different grids during the September weekend. 

We first operated at Little Sable Point Lighthouse in EN63rp. At this location, we set up our
station in front of the 115 foot high lighthouse that was constructed in 1874. Operating at the
Lighthouse gave us the opportunity to talk to many people who were observing. Some people at first
thought that we were making a podcast and others thought that we were hacking phones. Little Sable
was the location where I made most of my contacts including my best DX. My ODX was with N0UK and
K0HAC in EN23 the distance was 636km. My ODX would be one of the most surprising contacts. After
concluding making contacts with stations on the Wisconsin shore we heard “CQ Contest”. I looked
at my dad and said “Did you hear that”. I was not dreaming and after giving my call sign once I
was able to complete a contact with both Chris N0UK and Holly K0HAC.

The second location we operated from was a city park on the shore of Lake Michigan in EN63sx. We
operated at this location towards dusk and saw a beautiful orange and yellow sunset. The next
morning we operated from our home grid in Holland Michigan at Tunnel Park EN62vt. We were able to
make several contacts with stations traveling home on the ​​Wisconsin shoreline.
Being a part of the 10GHz and Up Contest has introduced me to new ways of communicating using
amateur radio. The contest has also introduced me to new people in the hobby who have encouraged me
to keep being curious. 

73, KE8RJU
Grace A. Papay

My goal was to beat last's score and I did in-spite of missing 6.5 hours on Sunday afternoon due to
a Family Birthday Party. 10 GHz and above is really getting to be a look forward to operating event.

WOW!  My first ever 10Ghz contacts.  Family life what it is prep time was very limited.

In the weeks before the contest I modified the AH-109PB dish for horizontal polarization (fix this
Icom!). For the ham with no 10G experience or test gear, this was a bit concerning as it required
removing the feed from the dish, something the Icom manual specifically warns against. Also I was
not sure what the tolerances were on positioning the feed. It looked very good when I was done but I
can't say it was perfect.

It wasn't until the night before the contest that I found and figured out the W3SZ/K1RZ mapping
system---what a resource!  Thank goodness I figured that out. My PC had trouble with it but it
worked fine on the phone.

This was the first time actually out with the IC-905/CX-10G. I setup late Saturday with the 31db
gain dish at SOTA W2/NJ-009 based at State Line Lookout NJ FN30BX17. SLL has 180 degrees of cliff
from North to South at about 540 feet elevation, a greasy spoon with a view, and bathrooms. Oh it
also has all the Lanternflys you could ever want and then some. They liked the 905 setup as much as
I did! Mercifully they were not fond of tick spray.

Everything went wrong during setup, but I finally got everything connected including a 6 foot beam
for 2m and the GPS locking system on an aluminum mast with tripod.

The going was slow at first. Barely made contact with K1TEO (My first ever 10G contact) who wasn't
far and was a clear shot from FN30BX. No contact with W1GHZ who was supposed to be loud over a 90%
water path. Jeff and Paul were very patient with me---we went over my aiming and everything else we
could think of with no luck.  It wasn't until about 2 hours later after double checking everything
that I found the accessory wire from the 905 to the CX-10G was not fully inserted----its weather
proof housing fooled me.  Once that was fully inserted the contacts rolled in!  No idea why the plug
affected the sensitivity so greatly---one would think it was an all or nothing connection...this is
the data lead from IF rig to transverter...not an RF cable. But once that was squared away 10g
sensitivity was great.

I was able to work microwave legend Paul W1GHZ as well as a bunch of others. Best DX Saturday was
our editor, Rus - K2UA with his buddies on Mt. Greylock W1/MB-001 at about 120 miles. 

Sunday I came back to the same spot for my best DX of the contest, the dynamic duo of AF1T and W1MKY
at Gay Head on Martha's Vineyard at about 185 miles. AF1T was also pretty sold on 2m with only my
10w.

Non ham excitement came in the form of a sleek looking black helicopter that buzzed the cliff at eye
level heading north at high speed perhaps 30 feet off the edge and then dove below the cliff.  It
was uncomfortably close.  If I had a pic I would have tried reporting him to someone. Also had a
Bald Eagle flyby which was really much more enjoyable.

I want to thank all who took the time to work me and teach me, and who were patient with the new
guy!  See you at the next one!

73,
Tom, N2YTF/P

First time on 10GHz and had a great time! Thank you Tony KC6QHP for helping me to build and test my
equipment and thank you to SBMS and Niel N6VHF for being incredibly helpful and friendly to a
newcomber to 10GHz and showing me the ropes!

Northern FN01 and FN11 is dense forest with an occasional vista.  It's between these vistas I travel
the miles back and forth all weekend.  Each with their own available azimuth range.  Becomes a
juggling act of who is going to be on where and when and which vista will allow a contact.  The big
tease is hearing the gang at Martha's Vinyard the 2nd year in a row and not working them.  I'm an
xband swl.  Maybe next year?  All great fun!

Operated the contest from my roof/ HVAC unit!