[3830] SS SSB WP3R(KE3Q) Single Op HP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: WP3R
Operator(s): KE3Q
Station: WA3FET/KP4

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: WA3FET/KP4
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:   46
   40:   88
   20: 1104
   15:  420
   10:  963
------------
Total: 2621  Sections = 80  Total Score = 419,360

Club: PVRC Puerto Rico

Comments:

Thanks to WP3R for local support, WA3FET for use of the FB station again (16th
time -- I have yet to stay in a hotel room, new cot in the shack was mucho
comfortable compared to the floor), NP4A for loan of the 50A power supply (to
run the FT-847) and other support and KP4TS and NP4A for the great new operating
desk -- a big improvement from the space-hog L-shaped corner desk made from
partical board that didn't fare well when moisture got in the hamshack.

This was the first time I didn't even hear WP2Z -- I wonder if they found
another KP4 for the sweep.

I had some jammers too but that's typical every year.  Advising two different CB
hecklers to go to Radio Shack for "Now You're Talking" so they could get
licenses and "do it right" was successful.  Normal evasion techniques worked on
others:  ignoring, toughing it out, frequency hopping.  I apparently didn't have
the same guy some of the rest of you experienced.  I wasn't anywhere near 14153
where, a few years ago, some W8 claimed to own the frequency, though he seldom,
if ever, transmitted on it except to intentionally interfere -- that incident
had me contemplating the pros and cons of murder.  The worst incident of last
year and this, combined, was when an extremely strong (S9 plus 60) big gun
station came on 20M 1 kHz away from me, no exaggeration, from me, I'd already
been there quite a while, and we both toughed it out for an hour before he went
away.  That was last year and didn't reoccur this year.  A different guest op
was at that station this year and I did mention it to him beforehand.  hi.  (so,
as he reads this he'll recall it).

Walking the casual ops through the exchange really worked well again this year. 
Spend the several minutes to do that and it often results in 5-10 other QSOs,
guys giving QSO #1, guys who have apparenlty been listening and finally get up
the nerve to give it a try.  It gives a little rate boost for several minutes. 
I have hopes some new contesters result and there's a cumulative effect for
future years.

I appreciate the QSO #1 given to me by a number of big guns who don't do SS
phone and from ARRL staffers.  Do 'preciate it guys.  Or -- sorry, I just read
"Price and Prejudice" -- I'm "sensible of the honor."

Conditions seemed up from last year, going into it so I expected to be able to
track last year's band changes with a little adjustment and it did work out that
way.  By the time I got done with 20 (or it got done with me) it was somewhat
later than last year and I was looking at skipping 40 to go to 80.  Last year 80
phone was very good to me.  Not this time, so I had to adjust.  I'm left to
ponder the high SWR on the 80M inv. V Saturday afternoon and my quick repair of
it (swapped in 160M coax and balun -- think I forgot to unhook the 80M coax --
from the 80M balun that was still attached for mechanical purposes -- time was
running out and it was a heavy rain shower while I was at the top of the tower
doing the repair, at a time when I should have been taking my "Sweepstakes
Saturday afternoon nap."  Resonant point was then 3990 rather than 3750-3800 and
the resonant point change has always been reliably predictable between CW and
phone, putting the CW stubs on and off, an every-time ritual -- had to put the
CW stubs back on to bring it down to the desired range -- something was going on
here, that shouldn't be happening).  Anyway, I just didn't feel loud on 80,
unlike last year.  I also thought maybe the MUF didn't come down as low as last
year so maybe the prop. was different.  Also, last year I got to 80 early enough
to get a really good frequency.  Tough to find anything this time, by the time I
got there, a "hazard" of being in Puerto Rico for SS, to go along with the
advantages that have often been discussed.  For some reason (hihi) K3MM didn't
want to take an offtime and let me have the beautifully quiet 3806.  I didn't
even bother to ask W4MYA on an equally good 3803!  Eventually realized I'd
stayed on the air long enough that it was past sunrise in Europe and 40 phone
might be good -- I usually don't go to 40 phone 'til after my sleep time --
Sunday morning.  So, I did some 40M before taking off.

In the end, it all worked out, though "we" got to the finish line by a different
route than last year.

The rates were good enough and/or the callers weak enough and requiring
concentration, that the second radio didn't contribute much.

By the way, I've started to think of the term "SO2R" as not quite accurate, or
at least not quite the whole story, as applies to my approach to it.  It's more
like SO2S -- single op two stations, since I have completely redundant setups
left and right, as I suspect many others do.  More redundancy on antennas
wouldn't be a bad idea either.  We're discussing improvements and backup ideas
for our 40, 80 and 160 antennas.

Thank y'all (todos, en Espanol) for all the QSOs.  It's a long slog but it's
somethin' to do, eh?
73 - Rich, KE3Q


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