[3830] SS SSB VA7RR Single Op LP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: VA7RR
Operator(s): VA7RR
Station: VA7RR

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

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:   46
   40:  215
   20:  280
   15:  510
   10:  570
------------
Total: 1621  Sections = 80  Total Score = 259,360

Club: 

Comments:

My first SS Phone since 2002 â€" with the return of 10 meters I thought it would
be appropriate to operate from the home station and single tower set-up on our
city lot in the suburbs of Vancouver, BC.  We do very well in domestic contests
from this location on 10 and 15 meters during the higher sunspot years, so I
decided to take a shot at the Low Power category.
  
     Many thanks to XYL Niki, VE7NKI, who helped me fix a big problem just
before the SS began.  After raising the crank-up tower a couple of hours before
the test started, I ran through each band to make sure everything was working
properly (I had done the same thing the night before with no issues).  When I
got to 40, I discovered zero signals and no band noise â€" it sounded like the
coax wasn’t connected.  So, after rummaging through the cabling to make sure
it wasn’t something inside the shack, I went outside and cranked the tower
back down, then climbed to take a look.  That’s when I found that the coax
wasn’t connected to the antenna â€" the feedline must have hooked on the
tower when I raised it, because the coax was pulled right out of the PL259 â€"
just wonderful (!).  So, while I waited at the top of the tower, Niki gathered
the appropriate tools, soldering gun and solder, electrical extension cord, and
replacement fitting, and got them up to me by bucket and rope (it’s great to
have a wife who’s a ham and who knows what to do to help in these
situations!).  We got it fixed with about a half hour to spare, which left no
time for much of a lunch or a pre-contest nap â€" I certainly did not feel
“mentally prepared” when things started at 2100Z.

     That feeling faded immediately as soon as the contest got underway.   It
was lots of fun, and very interesting.  Every time I operate SS from British
Columbia I tend to think back and compare it to the many SS efforts I did from
W6 from my days in California as WA6VEF.  My recollection is that was normal to
work about 2/3 of one’s QSO total on Saturday, and 1/3 on Sunday, and that we
used to cringe about how much slower things would be in SS on Sunday, and
especially on the CW weekend.  Here in BC, SS is a lot different in that
Sunday, for me at least, is a lot better â€" it can be equal to or better than
Saturday.  I’m not sure why, perhaps because BC is somewhat rarer as a
multiplier, or maybe because it takes awhile for me to get into an operating
“groove” (not!).  In any case, this SS my splits were 725 QSOs on Saturday,
and just under 900 on Sunday.
 
     Many thanks to all for the QSOs.

73,

Gary  VA7RR


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