[3830] SS CW W5KFT(K5PI) Single Op HP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: W5KFT
Operator(s): K5PI
Station: W5KFT

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: STX
Operating Time (hrs): 21
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:  124
   40:  765
   20:  320
   15:   79
   10:    0
------------
Total: 1288  Sections = 80  Total Score = 206,080

Club: Central Texas DX and Contest Club

Comments:

I'd hoped to make the top ten this year, but it wasn't in the cards.  

Conditions on Saturday caught me off guard.  I couldn't seem to make any hay on
20 during the first hour.  And 15 wasn't working either.  Finally, during the
second hour I started poking around on 40 and found a crowd there.
Conditions on 40 were great all evening.  I got some really nice run
frequencies and the band seemed really quiet.  I had some long stretches where
almost every CQ was answered and I had to ask for very few fills.  
I kept at it until about 2:30AM local time Saturday night then took 2.5 hours
off.  I'd hoped to sleep, but didn't really get much.

Of course, Sunday Sweepstakes is a whole other contest with much slower rates. 
I think I did okay, but didn't feel my best without any real rest.
In the middle of the day, 15 started to fill up and I started getting more
answers there than on 20 from my ping-pong CQs.  

About 4PM a loud thunder clap made me almost jump out of my seat.  The power
blinked off for a second not long after.  The rate was sagging so I took a
break.  A few minutes later the rain was coming down in sheets, and I started
feeling achy and really run down.  I went back and forth for the next half hour
and finally decided to throw in the towel.  Even though I was disappointed not
to finish, I think I made the right choice.  The two mile dirt road was pretty
soupy for my car, and it rained hard all the way home.
I got home and slept like a rock for 12 hours and was able to work today.  

Next year, I'll rest up in advance and plan to take Monday off  :-)


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