[3830] SS CW W1WEF Single Op HP

[webform at b4h.net]

                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: W1WEF
Operator(s): W1WEF
Station: W1WEF

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: ct
Operating Time (hrs): 

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:  264
   40:  524
   20:  358
   15:    2
   10:     
------------
Total: 1148  Sections = 80  Total Score = 183,680

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments:

SS CW 08       W1WEF

After all the time I spent on antenna work this summer, I think I was looking
forward  more than ever to this CW contest season. In preparation for SS CW, I
decided to give SO2R another try, with the plan being to CQ on 40 all day
Sunday on the second radio,  while S&P on the high band(s). I went so far as to
buy a second radio with just this in mind, and an amp so I’d be loud on 40. I
would use my lower 40-2CD fixed Southwest  (guy in the way if West) on the
second radio. 

In checking out Plan A above, I could not easily clean up the main radio QRM on
20 with  the second radio antenna on the same tower, so I reverted to Plan B
that worked before. With a 6BTV vertical to the North of the tower for the
second radio, it was perfectly clean…with NO stubs or filters. Although
signals were way down on the vertical, compared to  the  top 402CD at 116 ft, I
should be able to do some good…shouldn’t I?

The DOS computer was still in place from CQWW SSB so I decided to use my
favorite logging program…CT. It is still simple to use and works flawlessly
for me. I’ve used most of the others…but guess I like KISS (ing) best…hi
(Keep It Simple Stupid)

Lots of talk before the contest anticipating that a  sweep will be tough with J
 in the middle of a move from Whitehorse to VE8. The one guy  mentioned who
might be on was VY1EI, an inexperienced but willing to try CW op. It’s always
been a goal for me to get a sweep no matter what, to the extent that I’ll
waste time beaming North or looking for that last mult. This year I even
entertained (very briefly) the possibility  of a last minute trip to put club
station VY1DX on the air, but the thought of a possible aurora wiping all the
bands quickly put that to rest. Sure would be fun with good condx. Just as well
though…saw it was 9 below zero in Anchorage the other day.

Tried to sleep a bit before the four o’clock start.  Couldn’t get more than
a few winks, so fired up the station early, and worked a bunch of guys before
the opening bell. One drawback to doing that is you then confuse who you
already worked before the contest with who you hear during the contest.  I’ve
been doing SS since I was a teenager (except for my 18 year hiatus), and SS
always starts on Saturday afternoon at 4PM. My wife even knows that. NOT this
year! With the change in Daylight Savings time that resulted in our lower
electric bills (not mine though…wonder whose?)  SS started at 5PM local this
year. I could have TRIED to sleep for another hour! 

Started on 20, and got a great run going on 14025. I don’t like to exclude
the non extras (whatever they’re called these days) so for the most part I
work above 025 in SS. Thity six minutes into the contest and VE8EV calls in
with his number 3! What a  terrific  surprise and way to make my day!  By the
0700 hour I’ve been on 80 and 40, and  was ahead of all the New England
single op big guns I worked. They  usually beat me (as they would again), but
it felt good for the time being. Even though I have no idea if they had gotten 
a late start, or were setting up SO2R, or had a neighbor complaint…it felt
good to have a higher number than K5ZD ( I still wonder if it was the real ZD
op?), K1ZZ, NN1N, K1RM, N1LI and even N6BV @ K6TA …but WHO IS KT1D??? He had
a huge number and I don’t recognize the call from EMA. I wonder if Randy or
K1EA was playing games?  Hi

Anyway, without going thru the whole log and making a long story longer, I quit
for the first OFF time of almost 5 hours at 0643Z.  Would have been nice if I
slept but it didn’t seem like I had when the alarm went off and I was already
awake. I only had an hour and 12 minutes OFF time left, and took them in two
pieces, and then at the end.  Uh Oh! I just realized I screwed up my OFF time
record and took too much time off!  I wish I could count on the computer to
accurately track it, but IT said I had taken the whole 6 hours after the first
break. Oh well…  I was tired.

A funny thing happened when I came back from the second OFF time. There was
VY1EI CQing and listening UP 1, but having a hard time copying anyone. I had my
VE8, and only needed Ak, so I didn’t bother calling him. Almost on top of
VY1EI, KL7AF starts calling CQ. I tried to tell him to go  down 3, but who
answered his CQ? VE8EV! I never did work KL7AF at that time but did later,
after about 4 more KL7s.

This wasn’t my best  CW SS, but for the most part it was fun. The last 2 or 3
hours had more guys coming back to CQs on 40 and 80 than I can ever remember.
There were times when I was so tired I had to fight back to stick with it while
sleep almost won out. With three hours to go, I kept telling myself that these
are the hours that can make the difference. My best CW SS score was in 97, when
I had 1226 Qs and 193,708 (raw), and that was when there were only  79 sections.


As for SO2R…new radio (570DG), new amp (SB200)…I made a grand total of 9 Qs
on the second radio. I have to hand it to those who can do it. As I’ve said
before (about other things)…SO2R is too much like work for this retiree. I
like to just sit and listen to the music of my CQSS


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