[3830] SS CW N8II Single Op HP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: N8II
Operator(s): N8II
Station: N8II

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: WV
Operating Time (hrs): ~19.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:  367
   40:  303
   20:  369
   15:   48
   10:    0
------------
Total: 1083  Sections = 80  Total Score = 173,280

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

I must admit, taking one for the team (PVRC) wasn't all that unpleasant. CW SS
is far from my favorite contest, but I still keep coming back for more. Anyone
who makes over 500 Q's or so, knows that endless running does tire you out. The
OM was pretty tired at times. I think my first CW SS was in 1972 and won WV LP
in ?1974. There doesn't seem to be too much infusion of new blood, but the old
pfarts like me seem to be coming back to the fold, lots of check's in the 50's
- 70's!

I got off to my best CW SS start ever running on 20 the first 2 hours, rates
were 82 and 90. A quick migration to 80 and uugh, there was already a skip
zone; K8MFO was a whisper! Before long, even some W1's were skipping over. But,
things improved and by 02Z there was almost no skip zone! I made my only major
tactical error not going back to 40 until after 0345Z. By 05Z, 80 was drying up
and I was tired so QRT'ed at 0515Z. Howie, N4AF was about 150 Q's ahead doing
his usual stellar job, no worries about any hope of winning more than WV. I
broke the K3STX rule and cleaned up leaves Saturday; not exhausted but it did
tire me a bit. I was more at peace with myself in the S&P mode for brief
stints; the rate was decent and it didn't seem like a waste of time. By
bedtime, I was lucky enough to have had KP3Z and VO1MP call me, the only VO1
heard the whole contest (heard him on 2 other bands later) . Loads of
VE1's/VY2SS were worked. I still needed SD, AB, PAC, and NT.

Sunday AM went very well after a late start at 1325Z, the sleep felt good! I
was able to find/carve a hole around 7038 and ran pretty well at over 60/hour
until 1545Z with a breakfast break in the middle. Then the doldrums hit; 20 was
in pretty good shape with stations as close as IL and WI booming in, but running
at a decent pace was just not to be until after sunset. I hit 15 just as it was
opening with NN7ZZ in UT being the only loud signal. The skip zone shortened up
as close as NE and TX, but TX was never that loud. Overall, 15 was
disappointing, but sounded better than the days before SS, no running possible
to speak of and most of the 6's had been logged on 20 already. VE6TN was found
on 20 and KH7Y as the band opened to HI on 15. I trolled the whole 20M band top
to bottom for SD and VY1 to no avail. Finally, N0SXX called near the end of my
best 20M daytime run. Around 20-21Z, the Alaskans were notable for flutter and
KL7AF was down more than 20 db from his eariler booming signal, so NT was
looking pretty doubtful. Around 2250Z, I found a hole around 14028 and started
calling CQ. I tuned just high enough above me, about 400 Hz to barely hear
VY1EI, a swing on the yagi farther north and he has a solid S6, one call, no
pile-up and in the log, whew! 80 after sunset was it's usual self with slow
runs, but little to no skip zone. After I passed 1K Q's, I took a break at
0110Z. I came back around 0150Z and tried 40 which was abosolutely the best
I've ever heard it in SS; there was no skip zone! Stations closer than 100
miles away in PVRC land were loud and at the same time I was running casual
W6's! There must have been some sopradic E and I'll bet 20 was hopping, but was
too busy on 40 to care. The rate meter kept creeping upward towards the bitter
end to 96; 72 Q's were added. 
As always, thanks to the serious and casual ops who called me. CW stays alive
and well!


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