[3830] SS CW K3WA SO Unlimited HP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: K3WA
Operator(s): K3WA
Station: K3WA

Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: Illinois
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:  318
   40:  425
   20:  229
   15:   46
   10:     
------------
Total: 1018  Sections = 83  Total Score = 168,988

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

Outstanding contest.  I always advise others to test their stations days before
a contest, never make last minute changes, and NEVER upgrade software just
before a contest.  So guess what - I got a new radio on the Thursday before
sweepstakes,  (Flex 6700), had to change as much of my station automation as I
could, upgraded the Flex software to an Alpha test version, re-do my antenna
switching configuration, and wound up doing some things manually.  Oh, and I
didn't have time to add in my W3NQN filters or my coax stubs before the
contest.

So, this contest was a real study in overcoming a learning curve and suffer
through some outages as I managed to break the test software several times,
especially a major systems crash right after QSO number 

911.  Karma in action.  I lost easily an hour of my operating time recovering
from the problems. I operated assisted but, frankly, I never needed to use the
spots.  I really have to think about that for next year.

Lots of fun as always.

The highlight of this contest was finishing my clean sweep Sunday morning.  I
had 81 of the 83 sections by 6 PM on Saturday.  Still needed AK and PR.  Even
NT called in while I was running on 20 meters early in the contest.  Got AK
later Saturday evening.  That left me needing PR. I took a few hours off for
sleep Sunday AM around 0200.  Sunday AM started well at 0600.  I went up to 20
meters and had a pretty good run going about 0900.  I noticed a weak station
starting to CQ on my frequency, just loud enough to be bothersome.  I listened
to him for a while and was about to tell him to QSY when I realized he was a
KP4!  Well, I worked him, thanked him for the sweep, and gave him the
frequency.  Good trade.


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