[3830] NA Sprint CW K5AF LP

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                    NA Sprint CW Contest

Call: K5AF
Operator(s): K5AF
Station: K5AF

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: TX
Operating Time (hrs): 4:00
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Op Time
---------------------
   80:  119        
   40:   83        
   20:   26        
---------------------
Total:  225    Mults = 43  Total Score = 9,675

Club: Central Texas DX and Contest Club

Team: CTDXCC Dashers

Comments:

I won the low power category in the February 2007 contest and didn't operate a
Sprint since then.  The competition has really ratcheted up and my skills have
atrophied since then.  In fact, this was downright ugly!  I made a lot of
mistakes...logging errors, copying errors, sending errors, equipment errors.  I
have nothing but praise for those of you who had the patience to wait while I
untangled myself from all these problems.  

I'm still uncomfortable with the K3s. I wish I could pinpoint what I don't like
about these radios, but I just don't find them to be very natural to operate. 
But then, I had my Omni 6s for ten years, I guess it will take time.

I've got a very severe problem with QRN here.  It is a raspy noise that varies
from about S-5 on 20M to S-7/8 on 80M.  I didn't have much luck with the NR and
NB functions on the K3s.  Really made it tough with the punk conditions on 20M
and later on 40M.

80M was amazing the last hour or so, with many signals literally pinning the
meter.  My QRN problem went away for about 20 glorious minutes in the last
hour, and many very weak signals were easily workable.

Mults seem way down this time.  Only VE3, VE7 and VP2 from outside the country
and many stateside mults never heard.  I only spent about 30 minutes on 20M
before I realized I was fighting a losing effort there.  

Anyway, here is my humble score.  The CTDXCC did very well this time, so I am
proud to contribute to a great team effort.  Thanks to Jim, N3BB, for
organizing the teams.

Paul, K5AF


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