[3830] SS SSB N6CY(@N3HBX) SO Unlimited HP

[webform@b4h.net]

                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: N6CY
Operator(s): N6CY
Station: N3HBX

Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: MDC
Operating Time (hrs): 23
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:  529
   40:  216
   20:  445
   15:   88
   10:   16
------------
Total: 1294  Sections = 80  Total Score = 207,040

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

THANKS to John N3HBX for the station loan and hospitality. The score is
definitely "operator-limited" and not "equipment-limited"
THANKS to Mark KD4D for configuring TR-LOG at the N3HBX Clarksburg MD station
and helping ensure I was set up for success.

This was my first big U.S. contest effort since 2000, having returned to the
U.S. this past summer. I don't have a big station so a query on the PVRC
reflector netted an offer by N3HBX to operate at his wonderfully capable and
well-engineered SO2R station.

My learning curve was steep. I've operated WriteLog SO1R and made a big leap
this weekend to SO2R with TR-LOG. To all who fell victim to my cockpit
error...CQing on my second/mult radio (oops) after completing a Radio2 QSO (with
fills), I'll do better next time. Additionally, I forgot my actual QTH (MD) and
called VY1MB when he was asking for 4-land (I live in VA). My identity crisis
led to a (claimed) "cheap sweep" and some on-air grousing.

Other lessons learned:
--I need to learn how to use beverage antennas, which likely would have improved
my reception on 80 meters and resulted in fewer fill requests.
--Band strategy. Looking at the QSO distribution I might have been better served
to do more CQing on 40 and 15 meters.
--QSOs from the "Search and Pounce" radio amounted to about 12 percent of the
QSO total. I need to be more aggressive at tuning Radio2 for potential QSOs.
--There are plenty of stations on 75 meters that will demand that you move. I
did that THREE different times on Sunday evening only to discover that the hole
I vacated quickly got filled by another station!
--Thank goodness we had at least one sunspot this week and openings on 15/10
meters.


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/