[3830] SS CW K0EU Single Op LP

[webform at b41h.net]

                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: K0EU
Operator(s): K0EU
Station: K0EU

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: CO
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:  248
   40:  496
   20:  395
   15:  142
   10:     
------------
Total: 1281  Sections = 80  Total Score = 204,960

Club: Grand Mesa Contesters of Colorado

Comments:

Had a really good contest this year.  Conditions were excellent all weekend,
although 80M seemed a bit off on Sunday evening.  Maybe it was just that it
seemed there was nobody left to work anywhere.  The new antennas, which I put
up in 2009, played very well.  I didn't get to use them much in SS last year
because computer problems and the flu forced me out early.

I met Matt K7BG when he came to visit relatives in Denver earlier this year. 
We always seem to be very close in score.  This year was no different.  When we
worked, he sent me #392 and I sent him #393!  It was going to be another shoot
out.

When I took my first break at the 11 hour mark, I was 30 Q's ahead of where I
was two years ago.  And, I only needed NE, NT, and VE4 for the sweep.  I had
heard VE4DR working someone else twice, so I knew there was at least one VE4
active. Hadn't heard NT at all.  Figured I'd find Nebraska in the morning. 
W0KT (NE) called in about an hour after I got back on.  Later, I lucked out and
heard an East Coaster working VY1EI on 15M.  Swung the antennas up his way and
heard him working NC7J in Utah. I waited to call until the small pileup seemed
to quiet down and was lucky to get through on the first try.  This is not
usually the way it happens, but I'm guessing that he hadn't been posted on the
cluster yet.  Once a rare one is spotted on the cluster, it's always much
harder to get through, especially on low power. VY1JA would always take time to
listen for "Q" stations, but that still left us "A" power stations fighting it
out with the high power boys.

I kept one antenna pointed at VE4 all day Sunday.  Heard VE4EAR working a VE9,
but it was the VE9's frequency.  Tried calling CQ just up the band but no joy. 
Finally, while running on 15 meters, I found KE0Z/VE4 on the low end of 20M with
no pileup for the sweep.  From there on, it was maximize rate time.  I kind of
do that anyway, but if I am missing a mult late in the contest, I tend to
dawdle a bit while trying to hunt it down.  Oh yeah, VE4DR did call me later on
but it wasn't quite the thrill it could have been.

My only NL was VO1BZM.  Worked them early on 80M.  They called later on Sunday
on 15M.  When I said it was a dupe, they said no it was not!  Ouch!  I sent a
new exchange, but then they came back and apologized, saying it was a dupe
after all.  Man, that could have been a disaster if I wasn't in the log on
80M!

Apologies to KH7Y for my brain fart.  I had found him and KL7RA on 15M on the
second radio, about 2 Khz apart.  Both new mults.  I had heard there might be a
big disturbance this weekend via N0KE and feared this might be my only shot at
KL7RA.  I worked KH7Y first, but KL7RA was tougher.  When I finally got through
to who I thought was KL7RA, he said DUPE!  Argggh. I said no no no new mult.  He
insisted it was a dupe and then called CQ SS de KH7Y.  Boy did I feel stupid.  I
got them mixed up.  Never did get through to KL7RA on 15M, but he was easy
pickings later on 20M.

Worked tons of GMCC guys, including stealth operators AC0DS, W2UP, and AD1C.  
Also snagged N4VI, W0ETT, K0FX, W0DLE, K7TD, W0ZW, K0AV, KO7X, N0KE, N0SXX,
W0ZA, and many others.  Heard K0ZX a bunch.  Nice to hear Rich on - we shared
10M SSB duties at my first K0RF phone multi-multi back in the 70's!

73, and thanks for all the Q's!

Randy Martin K0EU


Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/