[3830] VE4GV Sweepstakes SSB(Long)

Tue Nov 18 04:11:43 EST 1997

                        ARRL SWEEPSTAKES -- 1997

      Call: VE4GV  SO LP             Section: MB  
      Mode: SSB                      Category: Single Operator

      BAND     QSO    QSO PTS   SECTIONS

      160        0        0        -
       80       38       76        -
       40      576     1152        -
       20     1052     2104        -
       15       19       38        -
       10        1        2        -
     -----------------------------------

     Totals   1686     3372       79

               Score:  266,388

Power Output: A Class     Hours of operation: 24

Equipment Description:
FT 1000D
KLM KT 34XA @ 66 feet
40-2CD @ 74 feet
Inv. Vee for 80 @ 55 feet

Preamble:
4 weeks before SS SB, my T2X stops dead. ( It had been ill)
I wait for a warm(er) day to inspect/replace the rotator.
Its Nov. in VE4 land, who am I kidding ?

After 7 years of working SS ( East coast... West coast... 
East coast... West coast)... my T2X gave it up. Removed
it from the tower to find ALL the rotator housing nuts had
fallen off ( yup, ALL of them. That's what I get for doing
"intermittent" maintenance.) Duct tape the housing together
and lower it to the ground. Hah !! I'm prepared ( I thought)
New T2X in hand, up it goes. Much to my chagrin, Hygain 
installs a new quick disconnect at the bottom of the rotator
instead of the terminal strip. Now the new model won't fit
on the Trylon Tower plate. ( F*** !!!) Shake head, curse.
Whine. Take down new T2X. Murphy likes VE4s in winter.

Reality sets in. The mast( KT34XA and 40-2CD)is now held up
by the set screws of 2 thrust bearings. Yah, Yah, I know
I should have found another way, but its cold, its dark
and I'm frustrated. Its 15 degrees out there. I'm lucky 
to tie off the beam so it doesn't windmill. All I need 
is for the mast to fall into the tower, then I'll never
be able to replace the rotator until the summer. Worry.
Think about using old terminal strip. Naw..If its going
up... its going up new. I pour a pot of coffee on my body.

SS phone is coming next weekend ! Phone Hygain in a panic.
Send terminal strip ASAP. UPS Red. It arrives Wednesday.
No charge. ( TNX HYGAIN !!! GREAT SERVICE !!)
Rewire rotator. Beg VE4 pals to help with T2X install.
They arrive SS Saturday 8:30 a.m. Replace with new T2X.
Works like a charm... Ahhhh, Success. Just in time. 

SS

I thought I'd start on 15 m because I was always lead to 
believe that you start on the highest band that is open.
Besides, we L.P. guys have a hard time holding on to a
frequency on 20 M at the best of times, never mind at the
beginning of SS.  Last year was a 20/40 L.P. nightmare. I
pray that 15 m. will be open and give me some relief from the
congestion. I start @ 21.311. Big mistake.  

After only 2 Qsos in about 5 minutes, and a big panic attack
I go to 20. Where am I going to find a frequency now ??!!
Its 5 minutes into SS and 20 is solid with sigs!!
Go low, very low. Hit 14.152, crowbar my way in and hope that
my VE4 prefix will give me some room. I'm pushed up. Move to
14.157 If my pileup makes enough noise, perhaps one or two
stations around me will get discouraged and leave. First
hour is 104. I figure that 15 m. error costs me about 40 
qsos. Run on 14.157. 2nd hour 145. My best ever !! Stay
there until 20 m dies @ 2321 utc. I'm at 300 qs. Not a
bad start for me.

Move to 40. Solid sigs again. Worse than last year. I
find a spot among the commercial heterodynes @ 7.200.
I use my DSP-9+ to help with the QRM and work another 50
Qs. Too crowded. Back to 20m. I bounce beween 20 and 40
depending on where I can find a clear freq to run. Mostly
high on 20m (14.300 +) and hi/low on 40 (7.296/7.157) When
running L.P., you gotta be flexible. With a VE4 prefix,
there's not much S&P.

Check 15 occasionally. Not worth the effort. 10 is a write 
off. I'm heard by strong stations on 80 but can't CQ with
only 100 w. Stick with 20m. The money band. My goal is 
1000 qs on 20 and 600 on 40. The rest is gravy.

High points:

(1)Personal best Qso total 1686 (raw).
I'm pretty satisfied with result.

(2)Sweep. If you missed a sweep this year, I dunno what
its gonna take to get you one. Can't believe how many 
VE2s I worked. Several VO1s and VY1JA was very workable.
(Tnx !) 

(3) One 10 M Qso !
Worked a KP4 on 10 m. Yesssss !! When we can do that up
here in the Frozen Black Hole, it means that the bands
will return some day. The 40 Below Bare Naked Tower Dance
magic is finally working !! ( Hey ! They dance for rain,
don't they ?? Besides, if we have to keep doing this 
many more years, we may freeze something important.)

(4) Several great runs 
I caught myself with a great big smile several times
during SS. I love this contest ! Its about the only
one all year that I can be really competitive from
VE4 land. The ops seem to get better each year, too.
Remember,(especially you QRP ops) keep the exchanges 
short !! There is nothing more painful than watching 
your run frequency wave you goobye while your contact
searches in the drawers for his license date( arrgggh)

(5) 2 el 40 Shorty 
The addition of that antenna has made a huge difference
in my scores. Since adding it almost 7 years ago, I've
rarely been out of the top 10 L.P. Its the best investment
a small gun can make. Bar none.

(6) Working the same bunch(with additions)year after year.
You guys/gals are the greatest !

Low Points

(1) 80 m sucked ( again )
I keep telling myself how I'm gonna do something about 
that band but with overhead cable/power/telephone lines
and terrible noise, its a lost cause. ( Suggestions 
appreciated... just no wisecracks about moving rurally.
My wife goes into withdrawl if we even consider a QTH 
more than 2 mins from a 7-11 cappucino machine). Can't
believe all the Q's that the W/Ks make on that band.
What I wouldn't give for another 3 or 4 hundred 
contacts on 80. The inv vee on a 50 X 150 lot just
doesn't cut it.

(2)15 m ditto
Sounded great in SS CW. Wha hoppen ??

(3) Realizing K4VUD was 160 Qs ahead of me at 1620
utc Sunday. I don't know what he's running but if
you can beat VE4GV's personal best score in SS SB 
you've got to be doing something right. 
Congratulations to him for an outstanding score.
I'd be interested in seeing the breakdown. 

(4) Still miss the 10m novices

(5) New Fancy Italian Halogen lighting.
Man, is that shit noisy !! 
To XYL: Yes dear...this is SS... you 
HAVE to pee in the dark. I'm sorry.

(6)Knowing that (at this QTH, at least) I'll NEVER
be able to run SS HP and be taken seriously by the
"Big Boys". Oh well, there's always guest opping
at VY1/VE8. After all, its the only place colder
than here.  Maybe KP2 ?......Naw, that's cheating!!

CU in 10 and 160m Tests (yeah, right )  

Rob Kaufmann  VE4GV
rkaufman at total.net

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