ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW
Call: AD1C
Operator(s): AD1C
Station: AD1C
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: EMA
Operating Time (hrs): 19.5
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160:
80: 169
40: 228
20: 160
15: 92
10: 1
------------
Total: 650 Sections = 78 Total Score = 101,400
Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club
Comments:
Rig: IC-756 PRO 100W
Antennas: G5RV at 35' (10M), AV-640 vertical, 15M delta loop
Software: Writelog 10.55 and microHAM keyer
This was my first serious SS entry since 1989 when I ran QRP. My wife was out
of town and having missed CQWW SSB, I had some energy to burn.
Saturday a.m., I finally installed my microHAM keyer which had been in the box
since February. After some initial setup problems, I was able to get it to
communicate with Writelog and send CW. Thanks to Randy K5ZD for getting me set
up with the appropriate buffer messages. This was my first time with Writelog
in a non-RTTY contest.
My initial goal 500 QSOs with a section count in the 70s. After about 200 QSOs
Saturday night, I got curious and looked at last year's results from EMA. 500
QSOs would have beaten last year's LP winner! So I reset my goal to 100K
points, and calculated the number of QSOs I would need to get there, based on
multiplier counts of 70 and 75 (I had no designs on a clean sweep, since I
thought VY1JA would be impossible to work running low power). Saturday night I
went to bed with 266 QSOs and 67 sections in the log. I was disappointed with
my Canadian sections, with only ON and NL in the log (three VO1s called me on 80
meters in a 17 minute span) and a tough QSO with VE5SF on 80.
Sunday morning around 1625Z I found VY1JA on 14.061 working someone, but there
was no pileup calling him! After a couple of fills on my part, he was in the
log and I celebrated my excitement with a blind packet spot, and listened for
the hoard that came calling! He was section #74.
I still did not expect a sweep, and I was not disappointed. My next QSO after
J. was VE6EX for AB, later ID (finally) and MB (VE4XT). I called KL7FH on 15
meters for a while, but he never heard me, but tuned around and found a weak KH6
on the bottom of 15M with no pileup, worked easily for #78. I never heard North
Dakota all weekend, but did work three in South Dakota (K7RE, WD0T and W0SD). I
guess Bill, WB0O has moved to Arizona, too bad.
I was getting antsy towards the end, I wanted to be done by 9 p.m. and my rate
varied all over the map, but it still looked doable. I finally crossed the
magic 100K plateau, made a few more QSOs to get to a nice round 650, and pulled
the plug. I don't know if this will stand up to log checking, but I was pleased
with my results.
I am in awe of the guys who can dig out another 600-800 calls during the
weekend. I definitely see how SO2R is necessary to win this contest.
Thanks for the QSOs!
73 - Jim AD1C
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/
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