[3830] ARRL SS SSB AA8U SO Unlimited

[aa8u at modempool.com]

                     ARRL Sweepstakes - SSB
                    
Call: AA8U
Operator(s): AA8U
Station: AA8U

Class: SO Unlimited
Operating Time (hrs): 20

Section: MI

Summary:
 Band     QSOs
-------------------------------
  160:      1
   80:    352
   40:    478
   20:    139
   15:    195
   10:    185
-------------------------------
Total:   1350 x     79  =  213,300

Comments:

All I wanted to do was get a SWEEP so I could continue my MUG collection
un-interrupted on both modes since '72. Early on I did that. It seemed the
easiest SWEEP in years, about six hours, maybe due to lots of activity from the
usually tough to get sections. 

Packet was of little use but it was fun to watch the spots and read the
comments on the cluster. 

Just prior to the contest I put up a horizontal loop antenna to cover the 40M
phone band. My stacked 3el Yagi antennas only cover cw so I needed something
for 40M SSB. The loop is only about 40' high. It turned out to be a VERY
effective antenna and well worth the time to put it up. I used my array of
Beverages for RX most of the time on the low bands. Like K8CC told me, "there's
no meters like 40 meters for SS".

As the contest wore on, I kept revising my operating plan. After bouncing
around looking for mults for the first six hours I started to settle on using
the F1 key more often. It wasn't long and I had some decent (for me...) rate
going. So, I decided to stick it out for a couple more hours and see how it
went. 

By Sunday noon I was regretting having wasted so much time the first half of
the contest. Gee, I did ok, but if I had really started out with a different
plan I may have done even better. I didn't manage my off time well at all. I
took too many 20 minute breaks and only got about 20 hours of air time. Poor
planning on my part.

Speaking of poor planning.... It seems there is a WAS net that meets on 40M
regularly, 365 days a year...on or about the frequency I happend to be having a
decent run rate on. 

About 15 minutes before the regularly scheduled net I was advised to "have fun
UNTIL the net began". Well, about 5 minutes before the net start time I was the
brunt of the most abusive QRM, carriers, cat calls, etc., in an effort to make
me leave. Prior to this crap, I had intended to go to 75M, but when these
clowns started pushing I decided to stay for a while longer. 

Eventually, tempers flared, mine included. The net control told the
participants to go up .5 kHz and began the net right on top of me. What a
#%$&*#$ mess. I told them that what I should do is rather than let them QRM me
intentionally, I should let them have the frequency and give them some of their
own medicine and see how they liked it. 

With that I QSY'd to make some more QSO's elsewhere. It seems, the frequency
was owned by the NET because they ALWAYS use that one, and it is a SCHEDULED
event.....so is SS SSB, scheduled by the ARRL, but that didn't get any points
with this crew. And I thought the SSTV bunch on 20M was territorial...! 

Well, I am certain I am on the S*** list of many more people as I write this.
The only consolation is, I know I'm not the first contester to run afoul of a
"regularly scheduled net" operation. I won't be the last. Good thing paper is
cheap. They have room for a rather long list.

Oh, I moved quite agreeably for two other "net" operations prior to this
incedent after being asked in a civil manner. 

Looking back on the weekend, it was fun. I'll be back to try again. I hope I
have a better plan next time and stick to it.


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/

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