[3830] SS CW W5MX Single Op HP

[Bryan Bydal W5MX]

ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: W5MX
Operator(s): W5MX
Station: W5MX
Class: Single Op HP
QTH: KY
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: TS870

Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 0
80: 363
40: 522
20: 253
15: 70
10: 0
------------
Total: 1208 Q's  Sections = 80 Total Score = 193,280

Club: Tennessee Contest Group

Murphy struck 15 minutes before contest. Lost first 1:20 of contest running up and
down the tower 3 times due to a stupid coax connector that had a fried center insulator!

Started on 20 and had a hard time getting serious runs going. Skip was too 
long. Only so Many W6,W7, and western W5/W0's around. 40 proved to be the 
money band early, until skip lengthend out. Moved to 80 and hummed along. 
The whole time I was a little distraught on losing that time though, hard to 
shake it.

Started Sunday with 40 and then to 20. Again, hard to get anything serious 
going. Checked out 15 real quick around 11am and she was open quite well. 
W6/W7 as usual but what was more strange was the strength of signals out of 
the NE, even close states like PA, NY and NJ were loud. Propagation can be a 
strange thing sometimes. I don't think a lot of stations put in much time on 
15 though or there would have been many more contacts. I put too much time 
in on 15, hoping for people to make a quick check and find it open. Just 
never materialized. Too bad since it was much quieter than 20, and stations 
in fairly close were loud too. louder.

My fatal mistakes of this contest:
1. Should have replaced that coax as my gut told me too. Funny how the gut 
is 99% right!
2. Spent too much time on 20 Saturday night, should have went to 40 earlier.
3. Spent too much time on 20 and 15 again Sunday.

Had a great time. Worked every section at least twice! Some years I don't 
even get NT - and I was called by one of them.

Thanks for all the Q's and see you in the Kentucky QSO party 1400Z, Nov 14 to 0200Z, Nov 15

73's
Bryan
W5MX