[3830] NA Sprint CW VE4/WB0O HP

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                    NA Sprint CW Contest

Call: VE4/WB0O
Operator(s): WB0O
Station: VE4/WB0O

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Manitoba
Operating Time (hrs): 4.0

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Op Time
---------------------
   80:    0       0
   40:  133     2.0
   20:  137     2.0
---------------------
Total:  270    Mults = 46  Total Score = 12,420

Club: 

Team: 

Comments:

I'm back from my DXpedition up north, so I'll be able to get my log in on
time! The story (for those of you interested):
  As Bill, W4AN, pointed out, the Sept Sprint is tough from out west, for 
the first hour or more there is no SO2R, only 20M is open. 40M is like
being on the outside looking in, trying to get someone's attention. The
goal then is to keep my interest up, and for years I have noted the VE4
record at just 237 X 40. I probably could have gotten a seat at one of the
Winnipeg stations, but they all run low power, probably out of TVI concerns?
That would have meant a 3 hour drive anyway. So, I found 2 club stations in
Brandon, MB, about 75 miles away. Things seemed like I would get a seat, I
would $join$ the club, bring my equipment and just use the antennas. I think
some of the anti-contest forces came through. Yes's turned into No's.
   Anyway, the third option was to do a FD style operation. I only live 10
miles from VE4, and did go up once to play around in a WPX CW, there are a
lot of provincial parks with electric serviced campsites right at the border.
I had made a neat 20/40 GP vertical on a 25 foot aluminum TV tower on a 
hinged base. Put it together, drive the front truck wheel over the hinged
base,
pull it up, spread out the 4 resonant radials for each band, and it loads up
real nice. The ND/MB border area I live in is called the Turtle Mountains,
and just like my home station is on top of a 400' hill, it's pretty easy to
find a big hill on the MB side, with amazing take-off angles.
   Skill is certainly important in the Sprint, but a big signal I think is a
main ingredient. So, how to run my Alpha? A contractor friend was happy to
lend his 8000W generator with all the bells and whistles, for a Saturday
evening contest. With Happy Hour starting at 3PM, what possible use would he
and the boys have for it anyway? It took 4 of us to get the beast in the
back of my pickup truck, but it ran perfect, didn't stress at all with the
key down. A laptop running NA, a UPS, the TenTec OMNI VI, and the Alpha. I
was setup 20 minutes after arrival.
   The weather was perfect, but the main concern was with only 20 and 40 what
would happen. The initial plan was to operate 2 hours, and if the VE4 record
wasn't going to happen, drive home and operate the last hour or more on 80M
with my 4-square, and the Icom 746PRO and TenTec Titan still set up at home.
Pass out the ND mult and all. But, I spent the first 2.0 hours on 20M, and
40M looked like it would play well. One band change. It sure would have been
great to have something for 80 that would set up in 10 minutes, maybe when I
go for the VE5 record next September. VE5 is 35 miles away from here.
   Thanks for the Q's, it is great contesting at 36 WPM! I have to go on a 
business trip next weekend, so no Phone Sprint :(, so 73 until the SSCW.

Bill WB0O in northern North Dakota, 10 miles south of VE4


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