[3830] SS SSB VE7FO Multi-Op HP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: VE7FO
Operator(s): VE7FO VE7YBH VE7HAK
Station: VE7FO

Class: Multi-Op HP
QTH: Vancouver
Operating Time (hrs): 22

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:   86
   40:   54
   20:  179
   15:   24
   10:     
------------
Total:  343  Sections = 80  Total Score = 54,880

Club: British Columbia DX Club

Comments:

All times local.

Station is the typical tri-bander at 45 ft and wires setup, all driven to a
whole 200W with a FT1K MkV.  Only 65W on 15 due to an as yet unresolved
problem. 15 is coming on line now so better get that fixed.

Decide I'm going to concentrate on a sweep.  However, VE7YBH (Phil) will be
coming over on Sat aft so figure he can run, which is more fun, and I'll S&P. 
Also have a newbie coming over on Sun afternoon.

Started S&P at 1300 (2100Z).  Log entries 4-7 respectively were NWT, SD, SD,
NWT.  Now, THAT"S different from what usually happens.  Phil arrived at 1500
and started running.  15 had died by then and 20 was an absolute zoo.  I had
the preamp turned off and 12 dB of attenuation dialed in and was wishing for
the IM performance of the K3.  By the time he left at 1700 we had 114 Qs and 49
mults.

I S&P'd into the wee hours hunting for mults.  Around 0220 I was thinking I
should go to bed, needing only ND, NL, PR, VE2 and VE4.  I wasn't worried about
NL, PR and VE2 (although I hadn't yet seen a spot for PR) but I was about the
others, particularly ND.

While thinking about this, I fell asleep in the chair.  When I woke up I was
reaching to shut off the monitors and go to bed when I noticed a spot for ND.
Yahoo! - worked him easily and then went to bed at 0330, now feeling really
confident about the sweep.

When I got back to it (1030) I saw spots for two!! NL's, a VE2, a VE4, and PR,
a cheery sight indeed.  Just knock 'em off and I'm done.  That'll be easy. 
Didn't take long to knock off the VE2.  The two VO1's were both on 15.  I could
barely hear them and they couldn't hear me. Couldn't hear the VE4 - sigh.  Not
looking so easy now.

The PR was also on 15 and, in the bedlam, couldn't hear me either. (Don't think
I ever saw a spot for PR on Sat.)  After a bit another PR came on 15 but he
couldn't hear me either.  Finally, a third one came on 15 with a decent sig up
here who did hear me at 1150.  Only took 22 minutes of continuous calling to
get him.  Well, I do want that sweep.

It's now 1150 with VO1 and VE4 to go.

About 1130 another VO1 was spotted - also on 15.  Same result.  Then one of
them moved to 20.  Same result.  Finally, another was spotted on 20 at 1254 and
I snagged him at 1304.

Just VE4 to go.  Really worried about this one as there's usually only one or
two on.  Keep checking but still can't hear him in the QRM.

Yay - VE4EAR spotted at 1324.  Boo - he's on 40, he'll never hear me at this
time of day with my 40 ft high dipole.  Go check anyway.  Yay - he's got a
decent signal.  Yay - he's operating on 7124, outside the W phone band which
gives me a real chance.  Boo - Doesn't seem to help, he's working lots of
simplex Ws.  Boo - some W tells him to move up so Ws can work him legally.  He
does.

Call him anyway.  Yay - Somewhere around 1340 he gets a partial on me.  Boo -
unable to complete.  He tells me to try later.  I stop calling for a while so I
don't annoy him.  Take comfort from the fact that HamCap tells me my chances
will be better in an hour.  That's all very well but suppose his rig (or mine)
blows up before then?  Or what if I have a heart attack and don't get him? 
Start calling again.

Yay - at 1352 he hears me and is kind enough to take the time to point the beam
at me.  He has trouble getting my exchange, though, because all I can seem to
say is SWEEP SWEEP SWEEP.  Finally I calm down, we complete and he expresses
his pleasure at being part of making my sweep possible while I'm doing a lot of
jumping up and down and air punching.

Hah, now I can stop S&P and start running.

Got a newbie, VE7HAK, coming at 1400 or thereabouts so real happy to have the
sweep out of the way before then.

Jeff arrives at 1600 and finishes out the contest.  He's been here before and
remembers a lot more about N1MM than I would have expected.  Isn't too long
before he's S&Ping and doing his own tuning and logging.  Started on 20 but
pickings were pretty slim so soon switched to 40.  Lots of QRM which he has
trouble with.  Next thing to work on is giving and getting fills.

All in all, I'm satisfied.  Got the sweep and shared the fun with a couple of
other people.  Score is slightly better than CW SS but nothing to write home
about.

Getting a sweep using spots isn't really that big an accomplishment.  I have
the greatest admiration for ops with stations like mine who get a sweep without
using spots.

73, Jim VE7FO


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