ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB
Call: AA4LR
Operator(s): AA4LR
Station: AA4LR
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: GA
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 0
80: 159
40: 182
20: 409
15: 87
10: 18
------------
Total: 855 Sections = 80 Total Score = 136,800
Club: South East Contest Club
Comments:
Equipment:
Elecraft K2/100
Kenwood TS-430S
Homebrew K1KP-style voice keyer (1 message)
Homebrew SO2R box
AE6Y CQPWIN software version 10.01
Antennas:
Cushcraft A3S at 15m
1/4 wave sloper at 12m (40m)
125 foot doublet at 10m (80m / 40m)
Shunt fed 15m tower (80m)
R7000 (40-10m - second radio)
Comments:
Finally! This is a personal best, beating the 127K score I made back in 1993.
Since then, I moved to a new QTH and it took 7 years before I got my beam back
in the air. The 1993 score was mostly due to some freak conditions leaving 20m
open way late at night. This score is more hard work and a bit of luck.
Conditions were considerably better than last year. 20m stayed short until
almost 0000z, and the west coast stations didn't move down to 40m until after
0200z.
Before the start of the contest, I warmed up 20m early on a frequency near the
middle of the 20m phone band. Had no trouble making some quick contacts before
the contest. About 2 minutes before the start, the QRM level goes way up, and
next thing, I'm calling CQ with no answers. I tune around and find an even
better frequency, and stay there for the next two hours.
First hour brings 86 Q, second 77 Q, and I'm over 200 Q in the third hour. It is
my best start ever, but things slow way down when I hit 40m. The night hours are
tough. I'm not able to run effectively on 40m or 80m, although I do get a few
short runs in. Mostly, it is hard work with S & P. I end the night at 0930z with
496 Qs.
I avoid the mistake of last year and get on 40m early around 1200z and pick a
run freqency. Had a good hour of 50 Q at 1900z, running on 20m, with a
half-dozen Qs on the second radio.
Ended up spending over 1/3 of the contest on 20m, with 40m and 80m split about
1/4 each. The remaining 1/6 was most all 15m. 10m never really opened strongly
-- it was never packed with stations as it often is in a good year. 15m never
went short, either. However, occasional excursions to 10 and 15m were crucial
for picking up important mults.
Multipliers were funny this year. From this part of the country, the "hard"
multipliers are DE, AK, HI, PR, VI and (of course) NT. My third contact was with
KD6WW/VY0 which gave me the NT mult. At 0900z, I had 76 mults, missing only WY,
NL, SB and BC. I had gotten all the "hard" multipliers early in the contest.
Only worked 1 NL and 1 BC. VO1HE was all by himself up on 10m at 1630z. Finally
found VA7DP on 20m at 2230z Sunday. This is my first sweep in 11 years as well,
and sweep number six on phone for me.
Had an interesting stand-off with WB1GQR. I called him a second time when I only
got a partial call. He gave me the exchange, and I asked for a repeat on his
call. He asked for the exchange, I asked for his call. He asked for the exchange
again. At this point, it dawned on me that this was a dupe.
Ran SO2R, but am not well-practiced with it. The second radio accounts for less
than 20 Qs, which is about 2 % of the score. It did help on Sunday somewhat.
Used the CQPWin version 10 software this time. New feature is rig control, which
I hooked to the K2 as a "Kenwood Generic". I had a little trouble getting it to
talk initially, but it worked perfectly throughout the contest. It was really
helpful to have the computer be on the right band all the time (at least, with
the run station)>
My only disappointment is the Cabrillo file doesn't list the exact frequencies
of each QSO. I had hoped to analyse the log later and see when I was running and
when I was S & P.
I think I do well on the high bands, but suffer on 80m and 40m. I need a more
effective antenna solution for these bands. I think the R7000 may be my most
effective antenna on 40m. It doesn't work so hot on the higher bands, certainly
not compared to the beam. Right now, I have it tied to the second radio
exclusively. I may move it to the K2/100.
This contest is going to be really interesting once the FCC approves the
"refarming" and brings the 40m phone band down to 7125 kHz, and the SWBC
stations relocate above 7200 kHz. As it is 40m gets far too crowded around 0000z
in the evening.
Had a funny incident with K4BAI right at the end of the contest. I was trying to
run high in the 80m band, and got a couple of calls. Then I hear "bravo alpha
india" in the noise. Turns out it is John calling CQ! Evidentially he could not
hear me, but he was working stations where I was not, so I moved.
Secret weapon department: when it was really late Saturday night (around 2 am
local), I was having a really hard time staying awake. I grabbed a small handful
of M & Ms. Munching on one every couple of minutes was enough to keep me awake
an motivated.
All in all, a good contest.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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