[3830] CaQP W8MJ Single Op LP

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                    California QSO Party

Call: W8MJ
Operator(s): W8MJ
Station: W8MJ

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: MI
Operating Time (hrs): 23.0
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs
--------------------
  160:    2      0
   80:   41      8
   40:   71    157
   20:  106    107
   15:  100    227
   10:   70    253
    6:            
    2:            
--------------------
Total:  390    752  Mults = 58  Total Score = 155,092

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

Going into this years contest season I still had some antenna work to do.  The
40 meter 2 element Telerex still has to be repaired from loosing part of a
reflector element on one side during the winter last year.  I was not sure on
how it was going to work out, but really had no choice since it wasn't repaired,
and CQP was now upon me.  The other thing that played a factor was 10 meters. 
Was the band going to be open, and how was it going to play if it was.  I ended
up starting out on 15 meters, because I was not hearing any activity on 10
meters prior to the start of the contest.  I kept checking 10 for activity to
see how it would work.  While 15 was yielding a decent rate, it was not as
productive as 10 was last year.  When I could see that 10 was opening up I
switch over, but it was not producing at the the rate that I had anticipated. 
Either there was a bunch of casual operators that did not know the band was open
or everyone was somewhere else.  As I worked stations on 10 I would ask, how is
my signal, they would say you are very strong 20 over, yet I was wondering where
was everyone.  I kept sweeping the band, and did not run across  a lot of CA
stations.  But kept S&Ping 10-15-20 for the first couple of hours.  I was
finally able to get a decent run going on 10 meters, and kept using the second
radio for working cw contacts.  I found myself running behind last years QSO
rate per hour, but I also knew that last year was an exceptional year.  

I had 57 counties within the first 4 hours of operating, and needed Glenn for
#58.  Never did run across it, and when I worked W6OAT on phone, I asked him
when he was planning on being in Glenn.  He told me not until Sunday at 3:00
p.m. Eastern time. So, I kept working the bands hard in hopes of getting Glenn
earlier then that, but knew that if I didn't I had hopes of getting W6OAT.  Went
the rest of Saturday not getting Glenn county, and into the night.  The
fractured 40 meter beam seemed to work ok for me even with the SWR running
between 2.0 - 2.5 between cw & phone.  I figured I had a big rotating dipole up
there except I didn't have to rotated it.  I actually had some decent runs on 40
meter phone after the noise, and static dissapated late in the early morning
hours.  

I ended up the first night at 850q's down from last year during the first night
at 913. I knew Sunday was going to be long in grueling.  The second day is
always that way.  But I figured compared to last year that I would net close to
300 q's.  The day started out ok, and as I had anticipated it would.  But we
kept slugging away.  AT 1658Z on Sunday morning on 10 meter phone W5FBK/M6
became my best new friend as I was Cqing on 10 meters.  He stopped by to give me
#58 county - Glenn.  Thanks for being there for me, and giving out the last
county that I needed for the sweep.  While I realized that I may not be the
first for 58, it is always nice to get that sweep no matter what time you get
it.  I was able to get W6OAT on cw later on in the day to complete both bands
for Glenn.  

With about 2hours and 40 minutes left in the contest 19:21Z I lost power at my
QTH.  To say the lights went out in Georgia was to say the least. I am sitting
at my station with everything completely blackout.  I spent the next 20 minutes
checking everything at my QTH to see if something was wrong.  Called the
neighbor to confirm that they also had lost power.  Took the time to call
Detroit Edison, and notify them of an electrical power outage through their
beautiful voice mail system...Hi!! Hi!!!.  Began to wonder if the power would
come back on at all.  

I finally said it is time for plan B.  Three years ago with Y2K upon us I
purchased a generator, and wired the electrical panel to the house for an
outside plug; and feed from a generator, just in case I would need to back feed
the system. So, not knowing when the electricity would come back on, I felt it
was time to implement plan B.  I went out to the shed, and fired up the lawn
tractor, hooked up the utility trailer, and headed to the garage.  Once there, I
uncovered the generator, pulled it onto the trailer, gassed it up, and pulled it
around to the backside of the house.  Unloaded, and hooked up the electrical
cord I made up into the generator, and my external outlet box on the backside of
the house. Flipped the switch on the generator, and pulled the cord to start the
engine.  She fired up on one pull of the cord.  I went into the house, and threw
the main breaker switch to off, and flipped the breaker switch on the junction
box to on.....and had power to the house once again.  

I was back in the chair operating at 20:05Z, and finished up the rest of the
contest on generator power.  Man I just love it when a plan B comes to fruition.
 I am glad that I did it, because it netted me another 11k with the score. Is
that dedication or what?  I remember my neighbor coming over, and asking me if
we had a major black out or what.  I told him I didn't know, but I needed power
back to the house to finish out a contest.  He had that weird look on his face,
and I really didn't have the time to explain.  I had to get back in the chair,
and operate.  

As always it has been a blast to work CQP to start the contest season.  My hat
is off to the N.C.C.C. for putting together another great contest with CQP. 
Congrats to K5TR for a mighty fine HP score.  Hopefully, I was able to defend my
low power title with this effort.  

73's until next year, 

W8MJ - Ken


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