ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB - 2022
Call: W4LT
Operator(s): W4LT
Station: W4DUG
Class: SO Unlimited LP
QTH: WCF
Operating Time (hrs): 20.5
Remote Operation
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 0
80: 14
40: 563
20: 476
15: 37
10: 6
------------
Total: 1096 Sections = 83 Total Score = 181,936
Club: Florida Contest Group
Comments:
Rig - Flex6400/Maestro - 100% remote operation
Antennas: Force 12 C31XR @ 108ft, Force 12 EF240x @ 118ft, Force 12 XR5 @ 55ft,
Carolina Windom 80 sloper to NW @ 90ft, Carolina Windom 160 flat top @ 90ft
This is the contest I concentrate on. Fair score, but have done better. Great
10 and 15m conditions, but still stuck to my tried and true game plan of
concentrating on 20 and 40m.
Issue this year was BIC time... Its really difficult to stay seated! Just had a
knee replacement 6 weeks ago in my right leg... My Footswitch leg! The leg still
doesn't bend like it needs to, it still hurts a bit and the muscles I need to
manage the footswitch have not fully healed, so it gets a bit painful to sit for
extended periods of time. Can't use VOX due to internet latency... So lots of
standing up and stomping on the foot switch under the desk. Could have used a
stand up desk for this one. Ill be healed next year, hi hi.
Remote contesting still has its challenges: The DVK would sometimes just stop
but stay connected giving me dead air at the most inopportune times... RX audio
would drop packets... Current Flex software has a "software defect"
that causes the transmitter to stop transmitting, even though you see audio
going into it. This requires a software restart to cure... Once connectivity to
the radio just went away and Maestro rebooted, which takes forever! Then you
have to disconnect CAT and DAX, close N1MM, start SSDR on Maestro, reconnect
CAT, reconnect DAX and finally reconnect N1MM... This takes time.
The positives are that it's great to have big aluminum in the air at the club
and still enjoy the comforts of home. I did my operating from my XYL's office
desk with a PC, a monitor and Maestro, and nothing else on the desktop! Just
that her Lasagna, while delicious, is really not easy to consume while running
stations!
A thrill to have NT call *me*! On 40m, too!
Lots of rookie ops in this one. Many ESP QRP signals. Nice to see lots of
20-21-22 checks. PLEASE mentor these guys and help them when they need help! We
want them to get the contesting bug! They are all future points if we treat them
right!
And if I had a dime for every "please copy..." I would be a rich
man... Why can't we stop this silly thing?
A big thanks to Tampa ARC for the outstanding antenna system... That 40m yagi is
a rock crusher and keeps me in the game, allowing me to hold a frequency and run
on 40 at night with 100w. Kudos to Flex for CESSB that really makes 100w sound
loud and clean. And kudos to my XYL for the care and assistance within the
comfort of her office, which is directly across from the main bathroom (instead
of my shack in the garage all the way on the other side of the house from the
bathroom).
Thanks for all the points, especially the fun runs on 20m and see you again next
year!
Lu W4LT
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