[3830] ARRL SS SSB K8DX SOHP

[Scott Detloff K8DX]

                     ARRL Sweepstakes - SSB
                    
Call:K8DX
Class: SO High Power
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Section: OH

Summary:
Band     QSOs
-------------------------------
  160:      0
   80:    683
   40:    211
   20:    409
   15:    241
   10:     52
-------------------------------
Total: 1596  x     79  +AD0-  252,168

Equipment:  (2) FT1000-MP 1.5KW

Antennas: 80M  Inverted vee +AEA-95'
                40M  Dipole +AEA- 35', 2EL +AEA- 130'
                20M  5EL +AEA-105' fixed west
                         5EL +AEA-50' fixed southwest
                15M  6/6/6/6 40/80/120/170'
                10M  6/6/6 38/76/115'

Got down to the shack 30 minutes before the start of the contest
and started getting things ready.  Needed to swap cables for radio
controls and could only get one to work.  Wife comes into shack 
as I'm trying to figure this out, asking me to watch the kids +ACI-for a
few minutes+ACI- because our 11 month old pulled a lamp on the floor
and there is glass everywhere.  I get back in the shack 5 minutes
before the contest, and start configuring WriteLog.  Tuned the amps
up and remembered my +ACI-pre-contest time+ACI- was going to be labeling 
the second amps presets.  Log the first contact on the wrong band
(as well as about the next 20)  because the computer and radio B
are not communicating.  It's about this time I also realize that the 
contest doesn't start at 0200Z (reset computer clock to run TR in
CW SS).  Needless to say I almost bagged it+ACE-

Running WriteLog with two radios,the SoundBlaster card is supposed
to control the keying line for the mics.  Every few hours something
would happen and everything would go dead (the mute for the SB
and mic would get reversed) and the only thing to remedy the situation
would be a total reboot, costing me ATLEAST five minutes each time+ACE-

Should have spent more time on 10M in the beginning, but I've always
been told the low bands are king for SS in the Midwest.  Thought with
my two radio setup I'd have a good chance at 2000 Q's since I did 
1900 Q's two years ago, but just too frazzled from the start. Atleast I'll
have more knowledge on what to do next year :-)

73...Scott K8DX 




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