ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW
Call: K6LA
Operator(s): K6LA
Station: K6LA
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: LAX
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs
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160:
80: 71
40: 297
20: 294
15: 353
10: 353
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Total: 1368 Sections = 80 Total Score = 218,880
Club: Southern California Contest Club
Comments:
CW SS was the first contest I ever did, as a novice in 1965. I was thrilled to
work 50 QSOs in one weekend! CW SS has always been my favorite contest since.
At the start 10 meters was jumping. I found a clear frequency at 28024. Then
magic happened. No QRM! No QRN. Just one station calling in after another. The
QRP stations were easy to copy. One QSO after another. No QRM. The last 10 rate
meter hit 159. Then a lull. But QSOs started pouring in again. Then some Far
East CB QRM on a QRP station. But it evaporated just after he sent NR. Time
after time that happened. The last 100 rate meter hit 128! The hour ended with
123 QSOs in the log. Unbelievable, inconceivable, unmatchable. (My previous best
hour in SS was 104.) While things slowed slightly in the 2nd hour, 10 meters
continued to have the magic and I had a 107 hour. I didn't leave 28024 for 2 1/2
hours, except for a few 2nd radio QSOs. (238 2nd radio QSOs, about 19% of the
total.)
It just seemed that every time I was ready to change bands, there was a hole in
the trenches (030 - 050.) Last year I stayed on 20 too long and couldn't find a
frequency of 40. I made a note to avoid that and the magic continued as I found
a hole in the sweet spot at the end of the 0300 hour.
When I took my first break, I only needed SC, MT and YNWT for the sweep. VO1MP
had called me during the early run on 10. After 3 hours I was back in the chair,
earlier than usual and 40 and 20 were hopping. I took lots of 1/2 hour breaks,
and it always seemed new blood was ready for me when I got back. I found SC and
MT early and then at 17:45 Sunday VY1JA called me for the sweep. Can't be easier
than that.
Then I ran into the wall the last 6 hours. It seemed I could never be on the
right band, or the right place in the band, couldn't find any new stations to
work, and just struggled to the finish. I had 4 full hours in a row of 23, 28,
21 and 25 QSOs. Ouch.
At the outset I thought 1350 QSOs would get me in the top 10. I finished with
1368 QSOs. However, it seems a bunch of guys are behind the leaders in that
secondary range and it will probably come down to log checking for the last few
spots in the box.
But however it comes out, it sure was magic for a while Saturday.
73, Ken, K6LA
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