[3830] ARRL SS SSB WP3R(KE3Q) SO HP

[ke3q at msn.com]

                     ARRL Sweepstakes, SSB
                    
Call: WP3R
Operator(s): KE3Q
Station: WP3R

Class: SO HP
QTH: WA3FET/KP4
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band     QSOs
-------------------------------
  160:      0
   80:      0
   40:     37
   20:    342
   15:    705
   10:   1407
-------------------------------
Total:   2491 x     80  =  398,560

Club: POTOMAC VALLEY RADIO CLUB

Comments:

Thanks again to WA3FET for letting me use his Puerto Rico QTH, WP3R for all the 
help setting up and keeping things going when the rest of us aren't there, NP4A 
for repairs and technical support -- and KP4TG and W3MJ too. 

I thought conditions were pretty strange, at least in PR -- deep QSB and an 
unusual amount of QRN too.  Due to some antenna switching "issues," I had to 
run coax again -- RG8X was the best I could do for 40 but it did the job -- 
only had enough coax for 40-10 but figured I wouldn't need 80 (or 160 of 
course) anyway -- only made about 6 QSOs on 80 last year.

I was ahead of my previous best rate by as much as 100 QSOs in "the first half" 
and felt very good about that but that dwindled away on Sunday with rates of 20 
or more per hour less than previous years for some reason (conditions and/or 
lower activity are my best guesses).  Beat my previous best hour (200 the first 
hour in '98) with 202 in the second hour this time.

I lucked out working VO1/VO2 when I made a tentative band change to 15 not 
knowing if I was going to stay there more than a few minutes (if I didn't start 
getting answers), CQed and VO2AA was the second caller and had a low number.  I 
later heard VO1MP on radio 2 and was going to work him when there was a lull on 
radio 1.  That happened about 5-10 minutes later but VO1MP was gone.  If I had 
still needed VO I'm sure I would have jumped on him when I found him on radio 2 
so I probably wouldn't have missed him.  But without lucking onto VO2AA and 
without radio two I'd have been in trouble on getting the sweep.

Those several Virgin Islands stations going multiop was an interesting 
surprise.

NP4A/M worked me relatively early, eliminating "the WB0O syndrome" (having 
trouble finding someone else to work in your own section) for me early, which 
was a relief.  This was my 10th contest trip to PR and I finally made the 
pilgrimmage to NP4A's great QTH and station.  It reminded me of home -- that 
is, lots of Telrex antennas laying around in the weeds.  Pedro is slowly 
rebuilding -- prodded by K7JA, 10M yagis are up.  Otherwise, Pedro's mostly 
enjoying mobile HF and 160.  He is justifiably proud of his excellent 
beverages, typically 2,000' long.

73 - Rich, KE3Q


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