[3830] SS SSB W4LT Single Op LP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: W4LT
Operator(s): W4LT
Station: W4LT

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: Tampa, FL
Operating Time (hrs): 19.3

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:   84
   40:  219
   20:  651
   15:   14
   10:    7
------------
Total:  975  Sections = 80  Total Score = 156,000

Club: Florida Contest Group

Comments:

Rig : Elecraft K3/100+KRX3

Antennas : Cushcraft A3S @ 39ft, Carolina Windom 80LP @ 37 ft, S9 Antennas S9V
elevated ground plane vertical @ 12 ft (as dedicated diversity and second
receiver antenna for all bands)

My first sweep in 33 years of SS!  Great to use the K3 second receiver to comb
the band for multiplers on on the same and other bands while running and/or
calling CQ (especially while calling CQ on 10 and 15 with the tribander while
combing 20 and 40 for mults with the second receiver and vertical antenna).  

This made the difference in finding WY and ND for me.

Found NWT quite by accident when my rate dropped on 20 and I moved to 15.  I
punched the 15 meter bandswitch, heard an off frequency signal, tuned slightly
and THERE HE WAS, calling CQ! No pileup, either! Just amazing the luck I had
this time!  

When running on 20 and 40, using the vertical on one receiver and the tribander
on the other while locked in diversity mode made fading almost non existant.  I
could tell what polarity was strongest as the signals moved from left to right
over the stereo image in my headsets (tribander on the left, vertical on the
right earphone).  The rig now has a facility to mix the signals, but I liked
the discrete separation better, at least for now  :)  Maybe I will change as I
get better at using the radio.

Cant say enough about the K3's receiver, although I wish I could make the audio
on the transmitter behave better from the dynamics processor standpoint.  you
can actually punch holes in the audio if you get too excited as the compressor
release time constant is a bit slow to recover for my tastes.  It also sounds
"thin" with less midrange harmonics than my TS850 had, which I liked.  Maybe a
less peaky mic (rather than my Heil DX4) will help in this regard.  I will
leave the compressor time constants to another firmware revision by Elecraft in
the future.  

Worked lots of friends from FCG and SEDXC as well,  Had to stop early due to
having to pack and get out of town for Thanksgiving week the following day
early in the morning.  Didnt surpass my last year score, but did do the sweep,
so Im a happy guy!

I was even somewhat capable on 80 meters this time as I could actually HEAR
people! I have a 50kW AM broadcaster three miles away, which killed my former
Kenwood TS850's front end... The K3 didnt even know it was there!  

I find it amazing to have class B and class U stations come down to my
frequency from adjecent frequencies with huge signals to tell me I am QRM'ing
them with my 100w signal when I cannot even HEAR them!  The limiting factor in
using this radio in a SSB contest environment is the other station's radio.  I
am amazed at what I could hear this time as opposed to my former rig, which was
no slouch, under the same conditions.    

No 10m opening, which I was counting on, materialized.  Too bad.  Better luck
with the sun next year.

Was it that I could actually hear them, or were there many more QRP signals on
the air this year than before?

Now that I have learned how to use this radio better, I am enthusiastic about
my ability to improve my score next year.  

Lu W4LT


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