[3830] SS CW W8EDU School Club HP

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                    ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: W8EDU
Operator(s): AD8Y W8WTS
Station: W8EDU

Class: School Club HP
QTH: Cleveland, OH EN91em
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:  116
   40:  549
   20:  178
   15:   10
   10:     
------------
Total:  853  Sections = 83  Total Score = 141,598

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

In keeping with a decades-old tradition, the Case Amateur Radio Club W8EDU, at
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio, participated in the ARRL
November Sweepstakes CW 2015.  


One of the best and most endearing features of the ARRL November Sweepstakes is
the school club category. In recent years the Case Amateur Radio Club has
experienced some significant growth in interest among both students and
faculty/staff. The undergraduates have started an aggressive program of license
classes and VE exam sessions. They have managed to license quite a number of
students and faculty/staff. Not all of the newly licensed hams are interested
in HF operating, but a few of them are and they are eager to learn about DXing
and contesting.  The combination of interest among newly licensed students, and
the school club category of the ARRL November Sweepstakes, pointed to a natural
opportunity to expose some new hams to HF radiosport.  I started to work with
the club leadership and advisors many weeks before the contest, encouraging
them to generate interest and get students involved in the contest this year.


Although it has been a few years since I was a student at Case Western Reserve
University, I still have strong ties to the Case Amateur Radio Club. In
addition to being a club trustee, I enjoy operating from the station whenever I
can and I make a point of operating at least one mode of ARRL November
Sweepstakes from W8EDU every year.  


The club members did a great job of preparing the club radio shack and ensuring
that all of the antennas were working properly before I arrived on Saturday. My
plan was to start the contest and operate the first 12 hours solo, to rack up
as many QSOs as I could and keeping the rate as high as possible until it
finally drops off in the morning. After six hours of off time, the students and
faculty/staff would start the station contest until afternoon.  The low rates on
Sunday may be tortuous for veteran contesters, but are not a bad fit for ops
trying contesting for the first time.  I would take over in the afternoon and
drive the contest to conclusion.  


Although it was a struggle to get the computer completely set up and working by
2100Z, I was on the air on time.  40 m was the hot band at 2100Z and stayed that
way for many hours.  I made only a few trips to 20 m and 80 m during the first
hours, when rate temporarily sagged on 40 m.  Not long after 80 m began to
support sustained rate, the 80 m antenna failed.  With no daylight for antenna
repairs, I was stuck on 40 m until off-time came at 0905Z with 502 QSOs and 76
sections.  


AD8Y started on 20 m at 1435Z and kept the station running throughout the
morning and afternoon.  There were students in and out of W8EDU all day,
watching, listening, and getting their first taste of CW contesting.  By the
time I took the chair at 2024Z, we were up to 593 QSOs and 82 mults.  That is
not a poor showing for non-seasoned operators!  


During the day, a team repaired the 80 m antenna, so I was back in business on
all bands for the remaining hours.  I heard the remote control station in NT,
VY1AAA at approximately 2050Z, but his signal was not strong enough to copy a
solid exchange.  The sweep came in courtesy of VE8EV at 2223Z.  When the clock
hit 0300Z, N1MM+ was in possession of 852 valid QSOs and the sweep.  


I was prepared to finish the contest, put the station back in normal mode, pack
my gear and haul it from the shack solo, but to my surprise a group of students
and faculty/staff arrived at 0230Z to watch and listen to the end of the
contest, cheerlead, and help with all of the post-contest chores.  Chores go
much faster when a group of enthusiastic volunteer hams arrive at exactly the
right time.  


ARRL November Sweepstakes CW 2015 at W8EDU may not take first place in the
school club category, but we scored wins other important categories. 
Inexperienced hams had the opportunity to hear, watch and try HF contesting for
the first time.  Experienced operators had a chance to mentor and encourage the
student leaders of the Case Amateur Radio Club.  A decades old tradition of
collegiate participation in ARRL November Sweepstakes was continued for another
year from W8EDU at Case Western Reserve University.  Most contesters would agree
that everyone at ‘EDU took home a win.  

de Jim, W8WTS.


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