[3830] SS CW K8CN Single Op QRP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: K8CN
Operator(s): K8CN
Station: K8CN

Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: NH
Operating Time (hrs): 21.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:   63
   40:  196
   20:  116
   15:  117
   10:   36
------------
Total:  528  Sections = 82  Total Score = 86,592

Club: 

Comments:

With a new high level, broadband RF noise source appearing in my neighborhood
only a couple weeks ago, I was not optimistic about my fortunes in SS.  As
others have observed though, propagation conditions were sufficiently good that
my local noise was not an impediment to hearing most workable stations.  I
started the contest 2 hours late by design, got 4+ hours of sleep when things
really slowed down around 0600Z, took dog-walking breaks, and pushed through
right up to the end.

I was aiming for a sweep this year after good friend and fellow QRP contester
Tom, AA1CA showed it could be done from New Hampshire with only modest wire
antennas last year, but NT evaded me even with active searching throughout the
day on Sunday. I was still down about 20 sections on Sunday morning and
wondered if I'd even get within 10 sections of the full sweep by mid-day, but
then Sweepstakes magic took over.  There are few exhilarations in life that
match the feeling of having a needed section (WV as mult #82 in my case)
respond to my CQ very late in the contest! Conversely, there are no greater
frustrations than hearing a needed section S&Ping in tandem with me, but
not being able to intercept them as we glide across the band. This year's push
for a sweep was intensified by strong, gusty winds on Sunday afternoon and
evening that caused multiple power blinks, but fortunately no actual outages.

It was great to work so many other QRP contesters this year who had good
signals.  I owe an apology to fellow QRPer and neighbor to the south, K1VUT,
who called me in the last 15 seconds of the contest, but the logger clock froze
the keyboard before I could complete entering his exchange - sorry! Still, this
one set a new high water mark for me both in terms of time in the chair and
score, and my thanks and compliments go to all the patient ops who work hard to
accurately copy the SS exchange from a QRP pipsqueak like me.

Rig: K3 @ 5W, Lazy H cut for 20 meters, used on all bands with the help of my
venerable Johnson Matchbox.

73,
Mike, K8CN


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