ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW
Call: K1LT
Operator(s): K1LT
Station: K1LT
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: OH
Operating Time (hrs): 23:25
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 14
80: 371
40: 349
20: 142
15: 48
10:
------------
Total: 924 Sections = 80 Total Score = 147,840
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
My intention this year was to prove that I can generate a decent
signal on 80 and 40 as well as 160. I'm sticking with the "verticals
only" plan, since verticals are easy and cheap to erect. Also, towers
are a potential no-no, since I'm 13000 feet from the end of the runway
at Fairfield County Municipal Airport, and uphill from there, so that
ground level is within the supposed flight zone.
>From years past, I came to have 65 feet of aluminum tower and mast and
appropriate trees to arrange a 160 meter "T" antenna with 80 radials.
So, 160 is all set.
This past spring I bolted 33 feet of aluminum tubing to a 4x4 stuck in
the ground and laid 32 radials. So, 40 was a snap.
The summertime plan was to hang an 80 meter inverted L from the top
hat wires of the 160 meter T antenna, and lay a new radial field.
However, last month I was the lucky recipient of a homeless HyGain
HyTower, which would make an excellent 80 meter vertical, not to
mention the other bands. However, the schedule has not cooperated
with the work necessary to plant the HyTower.
Since HyTower succeeds in making a bunch of parallel verticals work
from a common feed, I thought I could do the same thing for 80 with my
existing 160 antenna. EZNEC modeling showed that hanging a wire off
the side of the 160 vertical would work. So, I hung a wire and it
resonates and does not interfere with 160. However, the bandwidth on
80 was horribly small, even worse than mobile antennas. I was out of
time. My wife had to work, and I had parenting duty. Resonance was
3560 kHz, with a 2:1 bandwidth of about 30 kHz.
I started on 15 meters because there were signals and the 40 vertical
gives a decent SWR on 15. I've never heard so many PRs, VIs, and KH6s
and 7s. Also, the far west coast was booming in, but anything closer
was too close to be heard.
It only took about an hour to work everyone on 15. It was still too
early to change to 40 for the long haul, so I bypassed the amplifier
and used the radio's internal antenna tuner on the 40/15 vertical on
20 meters. After about 40 minutes, I had worked everyone I could.
Finally I moved to 40 where I could operate the radio equipment the
proper way (fundamental resonance, amplifier in the "not-bypassed"
mode). I bounced between 40 and 80 and parenting duties until about
05z when my wife returned from work. Since the whole family has
been battling a very nasty cold/flu/pandemic/whatever bug, I quit for
the evening, having proven that I can generate a half-way decent
signal on 80 and 40 (and 15 as a bonus).
I woke up coughing my head off about 0930z and couldn't get back to
sleep. In fact, I was wide awake. So I turned on the radio and
operated. By 17z I had 78 multipliers, including VY1, (thanks for the
call, Jay!), and VO1 via a quick foray to 20 on the tuner at low
power. This was enough multipliers to make a new goal: clean sweep.
Since I needed AK and WY, 20 meter operation was necessary, and at
full power.
So, I went outside and removed half the aluminum from the 40 vertical
and telescoped it down to 20 meter resonance. Headed back in and
operated 20 meters. Almost immediately, I stumbled on KL8C. What a
signal! (Oh yeah, this isn't 160). Start CQing. After about 15
minutes, K9DR signals "WY". Clean sweep! That was easy, everyone
will have one.
Now I needed a new goal. Hmmm. 650 Qs and almost 10 hours to go.
That's 35 per hour average to reach 1000 Qs. So, working 1000 Qs
becomes the new goal.
Boring story short, I worked 20 for as long as I could, and then went
outside to put all the aluminum back in the 40 vertical. After more
40 and 80 and parenting, I finished somewhat short of 1000 Qs, but
pleased that I had wound up working the entire contest (as much as an
active parent can).
Also worked PY8RO and 9G5ZS on 40, UT2II on 80, and SM7BIC on 160 when
they answered my CQ SS.
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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