[3830] 1999 SSB Sweepstakes-KX9X SO/QRP (long)

[Sean Kutzko]

Hi, Folks-

Here's the rundown:

                      ARRL SWEEPSTAKES -- 1999


      Call: KX9X                     Section:  IL
      Mode: SSB                      Category: Single Operator
QRP

      BAND     QSO    QSO PTS   SECTIONS


      160        0        0        -
       80       55      110        -
       40      226      452        -
       20      168      336        -
       15       95      190        -
       10       98      196        -
     -----------------------------------

     Totals    642     1284       79

               Score:  101,436


Power Output: ___5_ watts     Hours of operation: 24___

Equipment Description:
My trusty ol' Icom 745 (power adjusted to 5w), Mosely 3-el
Tribander @ 40 feet, 105-foot long wire in dipole configuration
fed with ladder line @ 40 feet (for 40m and 80m)


Club Affiliation: Society of Midwest Contesters

This is to certify that in this contest I have operated
my transmitter within the limitations of my license and have
observed fully the rules and regulations of the contest.


                             Signature
Sean_Kutzko____KX9X___________________________

           MAILING ADDRESS:


               Sean Kutzko  KX9X
               702 E. Elm Street
               Urbana, IL 61802
The Story:

I entered this one with the main goal of defending my division
QRP title, but alos breaking 100,000 points. Got off to a start
on 10m right away, but I couldn't get anything going on a run
freq, so S & P'ed my way around. Found VY1JA and got him in 2
calls, only 20 minutes into the contest! How anti-climactic!

Kept my S & P'ing up... the high bands were in great shape
overall. I had every section outside the continental USA except
Quebec just 2 hours into the contest. I tried running on the
high bands, but I've got a BAD noise problem here; S-5 noise on
10-20m. I ended up having t ogo to 40m where I S & 'ed all over
the place. After I'd been on 80 for a while, I gave up in
disgst; I started my off-time at 0430Z.

Woke up and started at it again on 40m at 1030Z sharp. Except
for the calls of nature, I sat in that chair the whole time. In
the morning, my last 3 sections needed were ND, WY, and PQ. The
first two came on 15m by 9AM; I snagged PQ on 10m at 9:45,
completing my sweep in just 18 hours 45 minutes; my earliest
ever.

At that point, I just tried to find a spot to run.  I actually
held 14.322 for a while, as well as 7.155 and 7.256; they were
productive times. I saw my "last 10" rate meter hit 70...not
bad
for QRP.

Around 2300, it dawned on me I needed about 80 more QSO's to
break 100k. I tried going to the high bands, but the noise here
made them impossible to use. Couldn't get anything going on 40
or 80, so I tried to S & P. However, I'd worked everybody I
could hear. You ever try to call CQ during a phone contest on
40m with broadcast QRM while running 5 watts? I don't recommend
it. My rate dropped to 14/hour; I honestly though I wasn't
going
t omake 100k. So, I went back to the high bands and tried to
find new people to work. I got some 6-landers, and worked
KH8/N5OLS on 15m; certainly good for QRP.

Hats off to K5OT, who let me work N8GE on his freq for a QSO.
He
knew I was close to 100k. That was a class act.

After much swearing, I finally broke 100k with about 30 minutes
left in the contest. I worked maybe 5 or 6 more guys, but the
tension on honestly not knowing if I'd make it drained all my
energy.

Boy, I need better low-band antennas!

Thanks for the QSO's folks. After a well-deserved shot of
liquor, I'm hitting the showers and going to bed. 

73,

Sean


Sean Kutzko, Amateur Radio: KX9X
Urbana, IL USA       Grid EN50vc
Homepage--http://hobbes.ncsa.uiuc.edu/sean
QTH Rental Page--http://hobbes.ncsa.uiuc.edu/sean/qthlist.html

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Sean Kutzko, Amateur Radio: KX9X
Urbana, IL USA       Grid EN50vc
Homepage--http://hobbes.ncsa.uiuc.edu/sean
QTH Rental Page--http://hobbes.ncsa.uiuc.edu/sean/qthlist.html

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