ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW - 2019
Call: K8BKM
Operator(s): K8BKM
Station: K8BKM
Class: SO Unlimited LP
QTH: MI
Operating Time (hrs): 23.5
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160:
80: 292
40: 259
20: 182
15: 9
10:
------------
Total: 742 Sections = 83 Total Score = 123,172
Club: Mad River Radio Club
Comments:
I intended to try a new category this year but that didn't happen. I've won my
division in this category SOULP twice before, and last year I won the division
in the QRP category. I was ready to try a high power category but had
last-minute amp problems (anyone have some spare 3CX400A7 / 8874's?). As soon as
spring hits, I'm putting up some new wire antennas to try something different.
More on that later.
Earned a Clean Sweep like many others - all the sections were well represented
and it wasn't too challenging. My last three were NE, AK and MB (VE4). The two
VE4's chose to mostly run, which made it tough trying to break a big pileup. I
was patient as conditions were holding and revisited their run frequency to
check the size of the beehive. Eventually I found one of them not too busy and
begged 'em. Much later, I found the other calling CQ'ing in the wind. I was a
bit nervous about this one though. No other "elusive" sections,
really.
I agree with others the participation was down. I also did not log a single
4-digit serial number - in fact nothing about 900, or maybe even 800. It was
easy to find a run frequency but not easy to get a run going. This year was much
more S&P because runs weren't productive. Maybe we need to invent a new term
- P&S - point and shoot, for those in the Unlimited category using a bandmap
or "needed list" instead of the VFO. Conditions were great, I thought.
There were times where 20 and 40 were open "everywhere", even short
skip. On that subject, at the end of the contest there were less than 60
stations listed in my "needed" window, indicating that either everyone
turned in early or I had worked through the available (spotted) stations on the
air.
This still rates high among my favorite contests. See you next year.
73, Tom
K8BKM
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