ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB - 2020
Call: N8II
Operator(s): N8II
Station: N8II
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: WV
Operating Time (hrs): 20.4
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 0
80: 583
40: 212
20: 427
15: 51
10: 0
------------
Total: 1273 Sections = 82 Total Score = 208,772
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Comments:
I have some limitations, no 40M yagi and a disabled XYL who needs help, so I was
pleased with this score. I have noticed many times in the past few years, that
better than average conditions with shorter skip and higher MUF precede a solar
storm. This was indeed the case Saturday. 15 was not open well into the Pacific
NW, but N9RV in western MT was his usual 59+30db or better with other good
signals from the Rockies, TX, and AZ. After a slow 62 hour start, I was able to
get a good run going on 20 for a 113 2nd hour; most signals were excellent and
the 5,6,7, and 0 land sections filled in quickly. I was able to stay with 20M at
a decent rate until 0030Z 2-1/2 hours past sunset, totally unexpected. Then is
it was straight to 75m were conditions at first were disappointing with a long
skip zone extending over MD,PA,VA,NJ and part of OH which are very important to
scoring well from here. Around 0050Z things suddenly started improving and by 20
minutes later there was little if any 75M skip zone! My 01Z rate was 126, and
02Z was 120. Eventually, the Q's dried up and a stab at running on 40 worked for
a short while. There was apparently
some sporadic E as ME was the only section worked to the NE, but MI,IL, and
VE3's were all quite loud.
Sunday was an up and down day; all morning was pretty slow on 75/40/20M. The
skip zone was longer than normal due to the solar storm which really hurt the
availability of East coast stations. Skip on 40 was at its shortest around 1730Z
where I found VE3RX in ONN just booming in and I had a reasonable run.
I was about ready to ease off the gas after lunch when some sporadic E appeared
allowing a nice run of 92 stations on 20 in the 18Z hour with many very loud
signals from TX,GA,MN, and some IL. The next best hour of the day was 71 Q's on
75M in the 01Z hour; casuals just kept calling. At first on 75 in the 24Z hour
skip was long and many signals were weak, but signals improved and skip
shortened to include almost everyone.
The section hunt was a struggle on Sunday. I never heard NL or NT and thought I
was going to miss PE as well (VY2WW was very busy on 20 and skipping over) until
I stumbled across a huge pile up on VY2NA in the last hour on 75. Even SFL was
very late going into the log.
Many thanks to the gazillion casual ops who called in on my runs! The number of
received NR's less than 100 far exceeded over 100. The activity is so much more
impressive than SS CW. There were lots of new ops with checks of 00 and higher
this time. Most ops were able to get through the exchanges quickly. It was
annoying for some ops to three peat their exchange when they were very readable.
Guys also need to practice typing and talking at the same time. It is pretty
much a dead heat with VE4VT now with W4AAA and who knows yet to be heard from.
This time I worked many from PVRC land which should boost the club effort.
Thanks for the spots and the Q's!
73, Jeff
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