[3830] SS SSB N4KG SO Unlimited HP

[webform at b41h.net]

                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: N4KG
Operator(s): N4KG
Station: N4KG

Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: ALA
Operating Time (hrs): 12:15

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:   90
   40:   77
   20:  232
   15:   68
   10:   33
------------
Total:  500  Sections = 83  Total Score = 83,000

Club: Alabama Contest Group

Comments:

OOPS !

I walked the dog at 3 pm CDT, thinking that the SS started at 4 pm as it did
for the CW SS.  It didn't dawn on me that the end of Daylight Savings Time
moved the starting time to 3 pm.  I figured this out when I sat down start
operating on 10M at 2155Z and heard people giving SS reports.  DUH!

My goals were to work all sections and see if I could pick up some needed
states on 10,15,20M Phone.  This started well with most of W6,W7,KH6,KL7 plus
VE4,5,6,7,VY1 in the log by the time I moved down to 20M.

Somewhere along the line, I gave in to the temptation to look for sections on
Packet, which moved me from SOAB(B) to SOAB(U) (but continued to give and log B
Prec .  At 0500Z I had 78 sections in 6.5 hours of operating time, needing only
KP4 WV VE2 VE3E VO when I went to bed.

Sunday morning, packet led me to VO1MP (and VO2WL), WP4G, and ONE after another
hour of operating (7.25 hrs).  Finally, I saw a spot for VE2NGH on 40M.  It took
a while to penetrate the pileup of closer callers, taking me to 82 sections in
8.5 hours, leaving only West Virginia on my Need List.

Fortunately, there was another Short Skip opening on 20M so I turned the Beam
North and called CQ for Several Hours working ENY NLI MDC EPA MI OH but NO
Calls from WV.  Finally, KR4F called on 2M to advise me that WV was on 40M SSB
Sunday Afternoon (after 11 Hours of operating).  UGH!  WAY more time than I
planned or wanted to put into this contest.  Now I remember why I don't like
operating Phone Contests in general and Phone SS in particular.  It just takes
too much out of me.

Tom N4KG in North Alabama 

Station parameters:
Icom 746 plus Amp at 400W Output (with only one 3-500Z)
80M Elevated GP (NOT good for close-in QSOs) and 80M Sloping Dipole to NE 
40M Sloping 80M Dipole plus Delta Loop (corner fed) for W5/6/7.
TH7 at 40ft plus D3 Dipole fixed NE at 60 ft.


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