ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB
Call: N6DE
Operator(s): N6DE
Station: K6IDX
Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: SV
Operating Time (hrs): 21:22
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160:
80: 126
40: 238
20: 421
15: 217
10: 3
------------
Total: 1005 Sections = 80 Total Score = 160,800
Club: Northern California Contest Club
Comments:
Can we have two CW SS weekends instead?
Really disappointed with this score.
I agree with N6BV and K6RIM. This was the worst SS Phone I have ever done. I
was down nearly 700 QSOs over last year. Combined, Risto and I were down
nearly 1000 QSOs. What a completely different experience this was from the CW
contest two weeks ago.
Mother Nature was a factor. The snow really built up on the antennas and
brought their SWR up to >2.5:1. Rotating the antennas back and forth didnâ??t
shake off enough snow to help. Some antennas just could not be used at times.
It was not only loading... I noticed these were down several S units over an
antenna that didnâ??t have the problem at a given time. Risto had a good idea
on the SteppIR, where we skewed the tune frequency way up to compensate for the
snow detuning, so we could at least load the antenna. We had high wind gusts
(recorded about 50mph nearby) and needed to keep the 20/40 tower cranked down.
We had snow static on Saturday night which took out 80m.
80m was painful. We could hear very well (except during the snow static), but
it was like we were transmitting into a dummy load. We just couldnâ??t be
heard on that band. Maybe everyone just had high noise levels. I think many
stations would be shocked to hear my recording of them on 80m and 40m with good
signals just CQing in my face over and over again.
Mother Nature alone could not fully account for a 1000 QSO difference from last
year. The location, station, antennas were the same, still as KB as ever at
K6IDX. I have no explanation. It was a very frustrating weekend on the
bands.
Thanks to Bradâ??s generator, we were able to be on the air all weekend. The
power went out early Saturday morning, and was off-and-on (mostly off) all
weekend. We were on generator power most of the time.
We got at least 8-10â?? of snow and needed to pack up early to allow for more
time to resolve problems driving through the snow. I had chains, but we were
able to get out without putting them on... barely... and slowly... in 4x4 mode
through Bradâ??s tracks he made earlier in the day. We were very close to
needing chains and snow shovels.
The one positive of the weekend was spending it with friends W6RK and K6IDX in
a beautiful snowy mountain setting. The contest itself was a dud.
Thanks to all of you for the QSOs and for spotting me on the packet cluster
throughout the weekend.
73...
-Dean â?" N6DE
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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