ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW
Call: K6BW
Operator(s): N2NL
Station: K6BW
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: SF
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 0
80: 112
40: 297
20: 363
15: 239
10: 5
------------
Total: 1016 Sections = 80 Total Score = 162,560
Club: Northern California Contest Club
Comments:
***Extended random thoughts follow***
I can't remember working harder in a contest, only to be somewhat
disappointed in the result. Kudos to all those with the big >1000 QSO efforts.
N6TR@W5WMU? Wow - simply amazing! Nice effort also from N4GI with his new
antennas.
This contest was the final step in a long couple months of work trying to get
a contest station put together at the local radio club. It's literally located
in my back yard here on the USCG housing area where I live. It's a beautiful
hilltop QTH with a dramatic 120ft drop-off in all directions to sea level, with
a clear shot across salt water (San Pablo Bay) to the east. Since moving here
this summer, I've spent every spare minute up on that hill setting up a full
SO2R station with the following antennas:
160M half wave sloper @ 125ft (not used)
80M dipole @ ~100ft
40M dipole @ ~70ft
40M 2el Moxon fixed @ 70 degrees (stateside) @ 35ft (the highest 4 supports
available)
TH7 tribander @ 15ft on the 1-story shack roof
R-5 vertical for the 2nd radio at the edge of a 30ft cliff (Open to the east)
The Moxon outperformed the dipole in almost every situation, even at only
35ft. Close in stuff was sometimes 5 S-units louder with it. I hoped the
Tribander would "think" it was higher due to the drop-off, but I didn't feel
loud with it. I've got to get it up higher. I can hear everything at this QTH,
even the local guys on 10/15/20M are Q5 copy via scatter. I just need to work
on being *heard*. I had a difficult time holding a frequency at times, and it
was difficult getting anything going the 1st day. The competition ran away at
the start and I was never able to catch back up.
I went to bed Saturday night needing NNY, VT, NF, MAR, and QC. I spent all
day Sunday focused on finding the remaining sections, and quickly worked VT,
MAR, and NF with several Q's following with each section. Thanks to Serge
VE2AWR for calling me for my only QC Q. I all but gave up on NNY until one
called me in the last hour of the contest. Needing NNY kept me working, and it
would have been boring had I worked everything early in the contest. Not to
bash packet, but I really enjoy working the 2nd radio to find mults, and it's
much more rewarding (to me) to find them on my own.
Unlike many others, I had no problem with several other "tough" mults. Two
ND and six AK stations called me during the contest. I don't think I've ever
worked 3 VI stations in a single SS before.
Again, congrats to all those with the big scorers. Although I handily broke
the SF section "A" record, I just missed the division record and probably missed
the LP top 10, two additional goals I had been shooting for. Something to
strive for next year!
I'm looking forward to WWCW from K3LR and dabbling in the 160M contests in
December. See you then!
73, Dave N2NL/6
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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