1996 wpxssb kQ2M @ KY3N SO

[KY3N at aol.com]

 80     484    283
 40     134     33
 20  1,497    452
 15      87      50
  
       2,202   818     5.4 M


We had ICE here in PA - this contest started just like ARRL SSB last year.
15, 20 and 40 would not tune properly and I could not work anyone!  I had to
take OFF-TIME in the first two hours of the contest (first hour rate of about
20!).

I would have quit by 0200Z if not for the tremendous effort and wonderful
hospitality of Wayne, KY3N and his wife Leanora.  

Chronology of contest:

THURSDAY

I arrived at 12:30 PM on Thursday in the snow and ice.  Climbed the tower to
attach
a 3 L 20 meter wire beam (in the snow/sleet).  

3 PM  Discovered that both IC-765's do not have SSB filters!  I would have
brought my '940 if only I had known.

FRIDAY

8 AM  3L 20 wire beam is down and so is the beverage.  We have had freezing
rain
all night with almost two inches of ice on everything.

10 AM 40 beam won't turn.

10:30 Wayne leaves to rescue repeater and coax that has been taken down by a
tree.
(The tower and the hardline is lying in the road!)

11 AM  Power goes out.  We hear it is supposed to be Saturday before the
utility knows the extent of the ice damage and can make repairs.  Life is
cruel!  Power comes back on at 1 PM.

4 PM Beverage repaired.  (And 600' of ice has been removed).  Spent last four
hours
deicing the 3L wire beam and putting it back up as well as flinging tower guy
wires to
get ice off the beams,  to no avail.  Antennas won't load and bands sound
dead.

6 PM Wayne is back.  Time to hook up beverage and finish setting up both
radios.
Oops; CT problems!  Oops; DVP problems. Oops; footswitch problems (took 5
minutes
out of first hour to fix this!).  Oops; bad cables in receiving line and
can't hear on 2nd radio!  

7 PM 20 is almost dead.  NO ONE hears me!  (SWR is infinite).  Only 1 qso.
 Switch to 40.  NO ONE hears me here either. (SWR is infinite).  Switch to
75.  NO ONE is here on the band!  (Only band where antenna loads up
properly). 
  
8 PM Wayne shakes more ice off of the antennas and towers.  People start to
hear me on 40.  20 is still DEAD.  I contemplate quitting and going upstairs
to watch TV.  It was a long drive for nothing.  Wait, I remember this from
last year!  I'll just take an HOUR of off-time, 90 minutes into the contest!
 Things can't possibly get any worse!!

10PM Back on and the verticals are really playing on 75!  Thats great because
40
still won't load and it still won't turn!

SATURDAY

2 AM 40 is turning now and people can hear me.

5:30 AM Still have ice on 20.  Band is open but not for me.  Start hunt/peck
Europe.
Slow (antenna starting to load) but SWR about 5:1.  

7 AM Start running Europe.  Antenna ok now, but single 5L @ 150' in PA just
isn't a 
4-high stack in NH!  

10AM Already 250 qso's behind last year!

12PM Low 3L 20 wire beam working ok.  Need ant. @ 100' though. 

Great JA prefix opening later on 20.  150' works real well, but have to give
up Eur. when I
swing the beam.  Then on to 75...

SUNDAY

6 AM KC1XX operator has serious hearing & courtesy disorder.  He is
constantly attracted to my run frequency like a moth to a flame.

This is the fourth time with this operating problem in last five contests.
 Other FRC'ers commiserate with this OBNOXIOUS KC1XX operating practice.
 When will this guy grow up?

12 PM KM9P is doing well (about 150 qso's ahead of me).  Wonder if he has any
off-time left?

15 meters trying to open to Eur.  Work lots of interesting African mult's.

1 PM  20 is almost useless.  150' footer is too high.  50' wire beam is too
low.  I would
kill for a stack!  Have to resort to hunt/peck Eur on 20 and runs of 4-5 guys
and then 
move to next clear frequency.  (Don't have SSB filters so can't hear through
the crud!)
Have already worked the dozen stations on 15.  So it's back to 20 again.
 Ugh!

4 PM KC1XX is back.  Unbelievable!  Has the entire band to CQ in and picks my
frequency AGAIN!  When will opr. realize that he can work MORE stations MORE
easily on a CLEAR frequency than one with someone ALREADY on it?  After 5
minutes he decides to move up 700 hz.  Would have been much easier for BOTH
of us if he did that originally!   Are you listening Matt?  I hope so.

5 PM 20 is spotty and decide to try to run on 40.  It WORKS!  YES!!  6
pointers at 
1 per minute with some new prefixes also!   Really gets the adrenalin
pumping.  Why didn't I ever try this before?  (Because I had a stack on 20).

7 PM Contest is over.  Really glad I did not quit.  Would have missed the
enjoyment of running europe like crazy on 40 & 75.  On Saturday night, when I
switched the 80 vertical to the SE position, some caribbean/S. America called
immediately.  Then switched it to the SW position and a ZL called!  WOW!  I
have to put these up for my station too!!

3830.  Figured that I'm third high score with KM9P and KC1XX.  Can't possibly
win with  without a stack on 20 and only 2200 q's.

K3ZO has almost 5M.  Great job Fred!  and the winner is ....

The heck with CT.  I can't wait to come back to PA for the next contest!
 Bob, KQ2M