I started the contest with a couple of thoughts in mind for 2004:

I would try to run on SSB with 500 watts into my small beam using
my Icom 746Pro

I would try CW Search & Pounce with 100 watts in a wire vertical
using my Icom 756

Each station would have it's own computer and rig interface (Left
radio/computer left hand.... Right Radio/computer right hand.)

I would dedicate some serious time (BIC= Butt in chair) to trying
to operate given that I was pretty strong in last years contest.

Great plan but I ran into some problems:

We had family over for dinner Friday night. It is hard to operate
a contest with people visiting the shack to figure out what the noise is.

It is hard to "Run" when my kids are in my office talking to me
in the middle of a QSO. (Callsigns become very challenging.)

Get up Saturday & Sunday morning and realize that someone
forgot to the pay the propagation bill for the weekend. SOL was not cooperating and
the only thing I could hear above my local noise floor was the Caribbean and
Minnesota stations.

I quit Saturday afternoon to go to a x-mas party at N0HRL's QTH. Sunday
I checked the bands and then decided to work on home remodelling projects.
I decided that my time would be better spent painting and get the house ready to sell
so that we can try to move into the country. Maybe in the country my noise floor will
lower so that I can actually hear people.

73 de NG0R

MULTIPLIER LIST

Worked NAM CW:

NJ GA FL SC TN
LA TX OK WY CO MN

Worked NAM PHONE:

AL   GA   FL   SC   TN   LA
MS   TX   OK   WI   CO   IA
KS   MN   SD

DX CW:

8P CX HI KP4
LU PJ2 PY V3 ZF

DX PHONE:

CE    CM    CX    HI
HR    KG4   KP2   KP4   LU
PJ2   PY    TI    VP2M XE
ZF    ZP