[3830] SS CW W8FN Single Op LP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: W8FN
Operator(s): W8FN
Station: W8FN

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: 
Operating Time (hrs): 23:55
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:  146
   40:  261
   20:  256
   15:  321
   10:    0
------------
Total:  984  Sections = 81  Total Score = 159,408

Club: DFW Contest Group

Comments:

Station:
2X K3/P3; 2X KAT500; KPA500 (at exactly 150W out)
80: 48' vertical with 30' top load wire
40: Inverted Vee at 45'
20 thru 10: 3-el SteppIR @ 35'
Mult antenna: Parallel 20-15-10 dipole @ 20'

This one was tough. I started on 15 and had a fine run going for about 3 hours.
Then I noticed I was working only west coast stations, and shortly thereafter I
was suddenly working nobody. 20 was very difficult, so I went to 40 pretty
quickly and ended up staying on 40 and 80 until the first break at 0800.
Signals were way weak on 80 with my lousy antenna, and I'm amazed I was heard
as well as I apparently was. Sunday was the usual grind once the runs were over
on 20 meters. Never heard the NL or NT guys, so no sweep this year.

Several significant hardware changes I made to the station this summer paid off
greatly in ease of operation and comfort. First, getting the second K3/P3 combo
was a great leap forward. The P3 turns out to be an excellent tool for S&P
on the second radio while running on the primary. The KAT500 tuner on the
second station turned out to be very useful in compensating for the pretty poor
match presented on 15 and 10 by the parallel dipole mult antenna. Once
"trained", the tuner automatically switched as I ran up and down the
band. Similarly, the tuners kept the 80 antenna matched wherever I went on
either radio.

My Pixel loop receive antenna worked very well as a diversity antenna on 80 and
40, especially on 80. I doubt I could have copied quite a few of the folks I
worked on 80 at all using just the transmit antenna. I just got it repaired in
time for SS, having blown the transistors in the amplifier's output stage by
foolishly putting the loop too close to the folded counterpoise for the 160
antenna and then transmitting at 500W.

Probably the best "hardware" investment I made turned out to be the
RelaxoBak butt cushion I bought on a whim earlier this year. For the first time
I can remember, I had no aches and pains after 24 hours in the op chair, and I
definitely felt much more relaxed at all times. For all us OFs, I heartily
recommend this little device.

It was lots of work again and it was lots of fun again. I'll be back doing it
in SS CW 2016. Hope to see y'all there next year.

73...
Randy, W8FN


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