WQ6X Waxes Nostalgic regarding NAQP CW

As you know, for non-RTTY operators, NAQP Cw marks the 1st radiosport contest of the year. 
Because of their overall simplicity, the NAQP GiG offer themselves as a "warm up" exercise for
merging onto the radiosport onramp for the new year.

Last year's write-up found me reminiscing over running QRP versus running LP (Low Power). 
There is technically no high-power category in NAQP.  If you DO run QRO and submit a log, it will be classified as a checklog.

Because my single-OP runs are largely from Ramona (San Diego - SDG - section), I am often asked to join up with one of the Southern California Contest Club (SCCC) teams.  Even tho I am running QRP, last year's 400+ QSO score was higher than many of the team LP log submissions.

Being a largely domestic contest, using super antenna arrays can find the signals skipping over USA and Canada completely, making the Ramona yagi pair @55' a perfect compromise.  Running into a 3-el Stepp-IR on the high bands enables setting the antenna pattern to Bi-directional enables working KH^ while focusing on the east and northeast stations as well as working the occasional JA or BG station when the antenna is pointed towards the Caribbean. Caribbean stations are part of North America counting as multipliers, which as I recall were lacking in 2o25. GiGs.

A strategic concern for maximizing NAQP performance is to know when it is time to leave
the high bands (10-meters & 15-meters) behind and move down to 20, 40 and eventually
80-meters.  Single-OP operations are allowed only 10-hours of op-time in the NAQP. 
This year, the 2-hours of off time will be used running 1-3pm and 5-6pm for NX6T's
Multi-2 operation from WA6TQT's superstation in Anza.

Will YOU be playing around in this year's NAQP CW GiG.

Keep an eye and ear out for NX6T @100-watts and WQ6X @5-watts.