Bert Hyman wrote:
I thought I'd give the 10M contest a try this year, single op, low
power, CW only.

I did a quick look a the rules
(http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2009/10-meters.html), got as far as

3.1.2. Low Power.
3.1.2.1. Mixed Mode (Phone and CW).
3.1.2.2. Phone only.
3.1.2.3. CW only.

and was on my way.

Didn't see anything about "assisted", so without really thinking about
it, I left "Band Master" (a GUI DX cluster front end) running when I
started the contest.

During one of the many lulls in the contest, I read the rest of the
rules and found

3.2. Multioperator, Single Transmitter, mixed mode (only).
3.2.1. Includes single operators using packet or spotting assistance.

So, I was suddenly stuck in the Multi-op, mixed mode category.

Oh well. That's a mistake I won't make again.

Ouch!

In ARRL and CQ contests you can reasonably assume a single-operator category does NOT allow for use of the Cluster. Many contests have a separate
"assisted" category -- looks like the 10M Test isn't one of them, in which case use of cluster indeed makes you a multiop entry...

Besides, the DX cluster info wasn't any sort of an "assist" for me. It
was more in the line of mocking me with all the stations I couldn't even
hear :-(

(grin)!

Saturday was pretty bad here in Tennessee. Got a LOT of reading done while calling CQ into nothingness. We did get a decent opening to W1/W2 around
10:30 CT but most folks up there had already given up & gone to bed.

It was a LOT better today. Still difficult in the morning, but around noon some South Americans started showing up (and ZM4B) and soon after,
sporadic-E popped open from here to New Mexico and Arizona. With about 90 minutes to go in the test, it also popped to Minnesota and W1/W2. Best
hour of the contest was the last hour...

I worked 42 states. Missed seven states in 7-land (WA/OR/MT/ID/NV/UT/AK). And Indiana. (?!) 349 QSOs for roughly 75,000 points, CW only, high power.

I find it interesting to look at DX Summit **after the contest** and see who spotted me...

--

Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View, TN EM66