KD3ANN’s advantage over K2ZA becomes clear when examining the receivers each station uniquely reached: KD3ANN heard stations K2ZA missed by more than two-to-one, and those unique receivers were distributed almost equally east and west but at substantially greater median distance. This pattern—balanced azimuthal coverage combined with higher DX ratio and reach into far more European and Oceanic stations—suggests KD3ANN is running a higher-efficiency antenna with a lower takeoff angle, likely elevated and optimized for skip rather than NVIS. K2ZA’s unique receivers, by contrast, clustered much closer to home with a strong bias toward North American mid-range contacts, implying either a slightly higher angle of radiation or a modestly less efficient radiator that still performs well but favors the first or second hop over truly long-haul DX.

Among the remaining GCARC stations, N2LQH posted the highest European fraction and DX ratio of the group despite intermittent operation, indicating an effective low-angle radiator during the days it was active. W2MMD achieved exceptional miles-per-watt and spot density, but the tight P90 distance and low DX percentage point to a compromise antenna favoring high-angle radiation and strong regional coverage. KS2D and KC2GYU show similar mi/W efficiency at low power with modest DX performance, both consistent with inverted-V or dipole installations at moderate height. KE2AQZ’s very short P90 distance and zero DX percentage suggest an even lower antenna or one optimized for NVIS, while KD2EIB’s minimal spot count and extremely local footprint indicate either severe efficiency loss, very low height, or an obstructed environment. The GCARC group would benefit from systematic A/B testing of antenna height at a single station, particularly raising one of the low-power setups by ten to fifteen feet to quantify the change in DX ratio and European penetration.

K2ZA and WA3DNM delivered remarkably similar top-tier performance, yet the receiver set-difference reveals a clear pattern advantage for K2ZA: the 139 unique receivers K2ZA heard skew heavily toward closer North American and European stations, with a median distance only half that of WA3DNM’s unique 44. This suggests K2ZA benefits from a lower-angle or more omnidirectional pattern that fills in mid-range gaps, particularly westbound and into Europe, while WA3DNM’s slightly narrower reach to common receivers implies a more selective pattern that occasionally punches through to distant outliers but misses nearby coverage. The westward clustering in K2ZA’s unique set—paired with strong directional symmetry in both stations—points to a possible height or ground-system advantage that enhances medium-distance propagation modes.

Among the remaining GCARC stations, KS2D achieved the second-highest unique receiver count and respectable European percentages despite operating only two-thirds of the month, indicating a capable installation hampered mainly by duty cycle. WB2MNF posted the best miles-per-watt figure in the group and maintained full-month operation, a textbook example of how reduced power with an efficient antenna can yield excellent propagation metrics. KC2GYU’s tighter regional footprint and lower P90 distance suggest either a compromise antenna with higher takeoff angle or a more limited operating window that missed key propagation openings. W2MMD’s sharply constrained geographic reach and very low DX ratio are consistent with a low-height or residential-compromise antenna suffering from nearby obstructions or ground losses. One high-leverage experiment for the group would be systematic A/B testing of elevated radial systems or additional ground enhancement at the lower-performing sites, since the mi/W spread and directional asymmetries hint that ground efficiency—not just pattern—is driving much of the performance variation.

KD3ANN’s advantage over K2ZA is cleanly written in the receiver set-difference: the 329 stations heard only by KD3ANN are overwhelmingly eastbound—more than half European—and sit at mid-DX distances, while the 149 receivers unique to K2ZA are chiefly North American, westbound, and much closer to home. This pattern strongly suggests KD3ANN is running a higher-gain antenna with a lower takeoff angle that punches through to Europe and the eastern hemisphere more reliably, whereas K2ZA’s setup favors NVIS and mid-range domestic coverage, likely from a lower or more vertically oriented radiator. Both stations worked all continents and the same best DX, but KD3ANN’s higher EU fraction and DX ratio confirm superior long-haul radiation efficiency.

Among the remaining GCARC stations, N2LQH posted the second-highest unique receiver count and a strong European percentage despite operating only twelve days, indicating an effective low-angle radiator when active. W2MMD achieved the best miles-per-watt in the group by a wide margin, a hallmark of QRP with an efficient antenna, though the modest P90 distance and low EU fraction suggest a compromise pattern or modest height. KS2D also delivered exceptional efficiency at low power with respectable DX reach, while KC2GYU’s tighter footprint and lower EU fraction point to a more regionally optimized setup or antenna null toward Europe. W2LJR operated at the lowest power of all and still registered double-digit DX percentage with outstanding miles-per-watt, a testament to antenna efficiency over brute force. The group would benefit from systematic A/B testing of antenna height and feedpoint elevation, particularly for those stations showing strong domestic performance but lagging European reach, to identify whether a two- or three-meter raise in apex height could tilt more energy toward the horizon.

KD3ANN’s advantage over N2LQH stems primarily from reaching 228 additional receivers that N2LQH missed, heavily concentrated in Europe and North America with strong representation in both western and eastern quadrants at mid-DX distances. This receiver profile suggests KD3ANN benefits from either a higher mounting or more favorable takeoff angle that captures skip zones N2LQH’s antenna bypasses, particularly into Europe where KD3ANN added 109 unique stations. The eighteen receivers that only N2LQH reached were split almost evenly between North America and Europe, hinting at slightly better fill-in on certain propagation paths but insufficient to overcome the broader aperture KD3ANN commands. The similar operating power and directional coverage between the two makes the difference in unique receiver count—and especially its geographic spread—a clear indicator that KD3ANN’s antenna system offers superior low-angle radiation across multiple azimuths.

Among the remaining GCARC stations, W2MMD achieved the best miles-per-watt efficiency in the group while maintaining strong activity levels and respectable DX performance despite running reduced power, suggesting an exceptionally well-optimized low-loss antenna. KS2D similarly shows excellent efficiency and steady operation with a modest European percentage that may reflect either a western-favoring lobe or propagation timing that misses the European window. KC2GYU’s European and DX fractions are the lowest among the higher-activity stations, consistent with either a compromised elevation pattern or a more regional antenna design. K2ZA’s continuous operation throughout the month paired with the shortest P90 distance and weakest DX metrics points to a low-height or high-angle radiator that favors ground-wave and near-skip paths over true long-haul DX. The GCARC group would benefit from systematic experimentation with antenna height above ground, particularly raising horizontal elements to at least half-wavelength to lower takeoff angles and replicate the kind of mid-distance and European penetration that separates KD3ANN from the rest of the field.

WA3DNM’s advantage over N2LQH is clearest in the receiver set-difference: the 77 stations heard only by WA3DNM include a strong European contingent and skew westbound and distant, with median range over two thousand miles, while the 26 receivers unique to N2LQH are exclusively North American, predominantly close-in, and concentrated to the west and north. This pattern suggests WA3DNM benefits from a lower takeoff angle or higher radiator that efficiently launches DX-capable skip, particularly toward Europe and the western U.S., whereas N2LQH’s unique reach into nearby domestic receivers points to a higher-angle lobe filling in the first few hundred miles—useful for regional coverage but less effective for long-haul propagation. WA3DNM’s much higher Europe fraction and reach to five continents reinforce the interpretation that its antenna is optimized for low-angle radiation on ten meters. N2LQH shows respectable directional coverage and a solid mi-per-watt figure matching the top performer, indicating decent efficiency, but the limited days on air and domestic-heavy footprint suggest either a compromise antenna with a modest elevation pattern or an operating schedule that missed key European openings. KS2D stands out with exceptional mi-per-watt performance—best in the GCARC group by a wide margin—and the highest DX ratio, implying very low power coupled with an antenna that favors skip over groundwave, though minimal European percentage hints at either timing or a pattern null to the northeast. The GCARC group would benefit from experiments with elevated radials or increased antenna height to further suppress high-angle radiation and improve consistency on transatlantic paths during the next solar maximum phase.