[3830] SS SSB N2MM SO Unlimited HP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: N2MM
Operator(s): N2MM
Station: N2MM

Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: SNJ
Operating Time (hrs): 20

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:  418
   40:  313
   20:  484
   15:  194
   10:   98
------------
Total: 1508  Sections = 83  Total Score = 250,328

Club: Frankford Radio Club

Comments:

I was not planning to operate since I still have the remnants of a bad chest
cold. On Tuesday, before the test, I took advantage of perhaps the last
perfect, 70 degree, no wind, day this year and climbed the big tower.....first
time since my fall in June. I re-oriented the 40m yagi which had been blown, by
the high winds, almost 180 degrees from direction. The remants of my chest cold
really drained me after only 20 minutes. While everything seemed to turn well,
I discovered that I had a brake and potententiometer problem and the rotor
would need to be replaced...First Spring project. Nevertheless, I pointed the
yagi WNW, got a good night's sleep on Friday, spent a leisurely Saturday, and
thought I was well enough to make SS a go....WRONG !!!!

Even though I have a great voice keyer, I sounded terrible. As the contest wore
on, I coughed more and more. No amount of Mucinex or any other cold remedy was
effective. I called it a night at 0600z, totally exhausted. I returned on
Sunday AM around 1030z and seemed ready to go again. The rates were good all
day Sunday, many times 100+ per hour, but as the day wore on, once again the
coughing became worse. Finally, at 2200z, I gave up, even though 40m was still
producing a great qso rate.

In retrospect, I probably lost 200-300 qsos and a division high score, since I
still had 4+ hours remaining. The sweep came terribly fast...less than 4 hours
from the start, with of all things, EPA, 35 miles away, as my last section! At
times I felt like I was being punished with all of the weak, low power,
back-scatter qsos on 20m & 15m. I probably could have stayed on those bands
all contest and would have still gotten a sweep!

Thanks for all the contest qsos, and even the DX qsos! The log will be uploaded
shortly to LOTW.


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