[3830] ARRL SS SSB AE9B SO LP

[tombaugh at megsinet.net]

                     ARRL Sweepstakes - SSB
                    
Call: AE9B
Operator(s): AE9B
Station: AE9B

Class: SO LP
Section: MO
Operating Time (hrs): 17 hrs
 

Summary:
 Band     QSOs
-------------------------------
  160:       
   80:      7
   40:    146
   20:    212
   15:     73
   10:     64
-------------------------------
Total:    502 x     80  =  80,320

Club: no affiliation

Comments:

This began as a challenge from NW0L. He had done relatively well in this
contest in the pastand enjoyed operating in it so we agreed to "compete" in the
same class for a little push. After he said he was sick (just a ploy) I lost a
little drive but then also remembered Saturday was my first born's Birthday
(better show some fatherly grace). So I grudgingly took some time off during
the first (and best) evening of the contest to have dinner and ice cream cake
(regular cake would have taken half as much time). After struggling with the
exchange for the first 50 contacts things started to smooth out and as the rate
increased, it was dinner time. Back at it after opening presents (dumb looking
cow slippers) and such and ran into Marty (NW0L) exchanged formalities and
recognized his huuge advantage. Kept going with new ambitions to get the SWEEP
(already had a couple tough ones).I have a tough time staying up after about 12
Pm so that was my scheduled time off. Got back up about 4 AM and still heard
some activity. The big guns and multi's were still at it so I parked on 40 and
got good results. That carried me into the daylight hours when 20 got better
then progressively 15 and 10. Shortly after that the power went out (CAN YOU
BELEIVE THIS?) Maybe I should have spent more time eating ice cream cake? Down
runs the family.... "what did you do? what did you do?"  Not like I'm Tim the
tool man looking for accidents to happen. The weather was cool 40's or 50's and
very windy so I guessed that the wind had something to do with it. Wondering
what happened to my computer log when it was so suddenly stripped of its power.
Would I lose it all? My attention focussed on a long term outage The power came
back on briefly but then back off just as suddenly. Living out in the country,
I'm prepared for this type of thing. So I fired up the generator and got only
the emergency circuits switched. Refrigerators, heating etc. After working all
the tough ones I was left with only South Dakota and Kansas for the sweep.
Absolutely besides myself with only those two states left to work, the power
out etc. I even thought of calling my KANSAS friends (no animousity there) to
tell them to get on the radio. Since I was running only LP with no amp the
power usage couldn't be THAT bad huh? I got the radio and computer turned on,
no loggin problems.... everything OK? Let's see... I heard South Dakota on 10
Meters but from here near Kansas City Missouri the only way to get them was to
point the beam away from them and hope they would hear the backscatter.  I
thought how appropriate (with many of my friends living in Kansas) that KANSAS
be the only state with few operators capable of trasmitting across state lines.
Re set the goals to stop after 500 contacts and stumbled across the needed
states in S&P mode . Thanks to both W0SD and N0NB for putting their ears on for
me. I got the SWEEP and 500 "Q's" even got some sleep in for Monday morning
work schedule. Thanks to all who operated in this contest. It was my first time
in the SS. It was fun.. and without the extra challenges... I wouldn't have any
excuses for not winning it HIHI.  "73" from Lone Jack, MO  Tom AE9B


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