First off, BIG THANKS to AA5PR/r for taking the time to run a 6M scatter sked with me before he started running the contest from DM82.  That was an all-time new grid and takes me to 12 to go for FFMA.  I think I've worked John from almost every grid in NM now .

I had not planned a serious effort this weekend, thinking the majority of guys would simply stay on WSJT.  I was wrong and there appeared to be plenty of SSB stations to run when the band actually opened.  I have a new strategy about FT modes during the summer contests, when running 6M rate is king.  The only time I went to FT4 or FT8 was to work mults when the SSB rate dried up.  I look at it like the wolves moving into a herd of sheep, picking off the easy meat/mults and then heading back to SSB with their 'catch' and continuing to pursue rate.  When there is any opening at all, it appears that a lousy rate on SSB is easily the equivalent of a 'good' rate on FT8.  Strategies will change and I think it's going to be harder to compete in this new world of traditional/digital mix.  Although, having the 'sheep' broadcasting their grid every time they TX is pretty handy for us wolves :)

My score below.  It's about 95% 6M.  I did my usual mid-20's mults on 2 using meteor scatter and, unfortunately, the high winds all weekend (blew 40-50 MPH ALL WEEKEND, even at night) fatigue cracked the bracket holding the hardlines onto the crank up tower for 222 & 432.  The entire assembly (1 5/8" line, 7/8" line, 1/2" line and rotor/control cable) all came crashing down from 80' Saturday afternoon and pulling all the connectors out of the LMR600 rotor loops.  I don't think any serious damage was done but it was a non-fixable event.  Running big hardline on crank ups is challenging.  Sorry I wasn't available to those that need another mult above 2M.  We'll continue to redesign, re-engineer and re-break things.

583x220 > 128,700 claimed

About 17 hours of chair time.

-W9RM