[3830] SS SSB VE6SV(VE4GV) SO Unlimited HP
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Fri Nov 27 00:22:18 EST 2015
ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB
Call: VE6SV
Operator(s): VE4GV
Station: VE6SV
Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: AB
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160:
80: 84
40: 399
20: 622
15: 496
10: 349
------------
Total: 1950 Sections = 83 Total Score = 323,700
Club: Radiosport Manitoba
Comments:
Sweepstakes 2015 from VE6SV. Surfing the MUF from Western Canada.
When thinking of “surfing”, the province of Alberta isn’t the first thing
that comes to mind. However, if you’re going to do well in SS SSB from VE6
land, you have to know how to surf the MUF and ride it to the end of the test.
With the resurgence of HF activity in Manitoba (thanks in large part to VE4EA
and the creation of RadioSport Manitoba,) contesters are seeing a lot more VE4
calls in their logs of late. Getting a Manitoba Q is no longer as tough as it
used to be 10 years ago when only 2 or 3 stations would be on for SS or other
contests where the MB multiplier was needed.
Some of the RadioSport Manitoba gang have availed themselves of the hospitality
extended to them by Gord, VE6SV, who has assembled a phenomenal contest station,
located just outside Edmonton, Alberta. For this city boy, hearing the sound of
horses in the next property as I pulled up to his driveway was something that I
wasn’t used to. But it did offer the space needed for VE6SV to assemble the
necessary antennas to make it a competitive station. Gord is always adding to
his antenna farm, this year adding a long boom 20 m antenna and another 40 m
beam to his formidable array of 4 tower aluminum.
Last year was my first attempt at SS from VE6SV. For me, it was novel in a few
respects. Firstly, my Winnipeg MB city QTH prevents me from running HP.
(Don’t ask!) So, as many of you know, SS LP has been my method of competing
from my home QTH for almost 30 years. Secondly, until 2010 or so, I was
practically the only MB station seriously competing in SS (especially after
(VE4VV and VE4RM became SK). So until serious ops like VE4VT (Ed) and a few
other less serious contesters became consistently active, I was pretty much the
only VE4 you could work for a sweep. I must admit being “rare” was
fun...and very productive, score-wise. More recently, I had become involved
with VE6SV’s station for CQ WW SSB and WPX. Although Gord’s station is
primarily set up for Multi-Single DX and occasional single band (160) contests,
I was intrigued at the prospect of firing it for HP SS and finally going QRO.
Last year’s effort in the HP �" Unlimited category netted a third place
finish. Not bad for a first try, especially with a single radio effort. We
hadn’t optimized the station for 2 radio operation (yet) so I probably was
not operating at peak station capability. Unfortunately, the doofus operator
(me- who held the lead in his category for the first 7 hours,) decided to take
a VERY untimely 30 minute break at around 04:30 and that sealed my fate. This
was WELL documented in the QST writeup ! (Gee...Thanks for pointing THAT out,
N2IC!!) That was the transitional time between 20 and 40, where you needed to
get “traction” on a band. I was impatient with my inability to get a good
run freq and decided to take a break. You can’t do that in SS!! I never
recovered and that was pretty much it. This year I was not going to be so
foolish.
Driving up to VE6SV I wondered if this year the “40 Below Naked Tower
Dance” would be necessary to appease old Sol...like it always was from VE4
land. Perhaps here the propagation Gods were kinder. I was determined to
“surf” the MUF and ride the wave, hoping that it would start from my
favorite band...10 m. My goal was to have a “perfect sine wave QSO rate”
with no bumps or dips. Ride the peaks from VE6 land. The solar numbers looked
good and unlike the recent disturbed conditions only a week or so before,
things actually quieted down for the test. I was hoping for a 2000 QSO SS from
VE6SV, though being in Alberta, you are at the total mercy of Auroral
conditions, should the sun decide to “fart” and smell up the bands.
On the morning of SS I found 10 m to be wide open. Good news from up here! (I
HATE 20 m SS SSB slugfests at the solar minimums. They are exhausting,
especially with LP...even with the VE4 prefix! Glad I was at VE6 with HP!!)
The first hour rate was 129 on 10m. I caught the wave! Signals were great,
though I did note heavy QSB at times. After about 160 qs, I moved to 15, which
I felt would be the best band overall. (20m was still king after all) An early
move from 20 to 40 at 00100 allowed me to establish a good run freq and I surfed
the crest until moving to 80 at around 0400. The early move to 40 paid off.
Rates died at 0600 and I took the full 6 hours off at that time.
The next morning I rode the propagation up from 40 to 20 where rates of over
100 lasted for 2 hours 15-1600 UTC. Paying attention to the previous day’s
efforts, I moved up past 15 m to 10 M at 1900 UTC which again resulted in some
decent rates. Then back down to 15 at 2200 and finally finishing on 40, by
which time, I felt I had worked pretty much everyone I heard. All the calls on
the band map were red.
Some observations:
1. Although I had a second radio, I didn’t use it enough. I’m still not
good enough on 40 and the transitions between bands are tough without smooth 2
radio operation. Early band moves are prudent but can be tricky, when rates
seem good and you want to “stay” on the higher band. Wait too long to move
and its tough to establish a run freq on the new band.
2. With only 83 mults available (and being a relatively rare VE6 mult with a
HUGE domestic signal) don’t waste time chasing the VO1 (NL) mult. You will
work them as they find you. Glad to see lots of activity from VE8.
3. Lots of ND, something that can be very tough from my native VE4 land.
4. I’ve got to talk to Tim Duffy and the guys at DX Engineering about getting
a patent on “VE4GV Contest Depends”. Asking Gord to “pass me the coffee
can” so I can get rid of those 3 cups of coffee, 2 Diet cokes and a Red Bull
isn’t very “guest-like”. But I ain’t getting out of the chair and
losing my freq!!
5. Lastly, I’m really starting to wonder about the use of Packet spotting and
the whole concept of “Assisted” for SS. One of the reasons that I entered
the “Assisted” category was that I simply am not good enough to “run with
the big boys” in B category. Unlimited High power is an opportunity for me
(especially from VE4 or VE6) to “do well” but I still consider myself in
the “minor leagues”. However, you really have to question whether having an
“Assisted” category in SS is necessary, considering that you only have 83
mults. It seems silly. I suppose I may be thought of as old fashioned but I
think that “turning the band” (especially by newer ops) contributes to
learning to have “better ears” and to better operating. I would favor
any change that would reduce the “point and click” QSO aspect. Considering
the very origin of SS (Traffic handling �" which is now pretty much
obsolete in the texting era) maybe it is time to return to SS Roots and
dispense with this category entirely �" make it a “no packet spotting
allowed” contest. I know that may be heresy or considered old fashioned, but
I don’t think packet helps much (if at all) �" for the serious
contester. I really don’t see the challenge in working 83 mults with point
and click but I suppose for the casual op who wants the Sweep, it is a quick
way to do it.
Congrats to K0EU for a fantastic score. Well done.
See you all in CQ WW CW from VE6SV this weekend. This will me my first CW test
from there.
73 Rob VE4GV
2015 SS SSB @ VE6SV
CALLSIGN: VE6SV
CATEGORY-OPERATOR: SINGLE-OP
CATEGORY-ASSISTED: ASSISTED
CATEGORY-BAND: ALL
CATEGORY-POWER: HIGH
CATEGORY-MODE: SSB
CATEGORY-TIME: 24-HOURS
CLAIMED-SCORE: 323700
CLUB: RadioSport Manitoba
OPERATORS: VE4GV
QSO/Sec by hour and band
Hour 80 40 20 15 10 Total Cumm OffTime
D1-2100Z - - - - 129/36 129/36 129/36
D1-2200Z - - - 100/16 43/1 143/17 272/53
D1-2300Z - - 44/5 78/9 - 122/14 394/67
D2-0000Z --+-- --+-- 127/3 --+-- --+-- 127/3 521/70
D2-0100Z - 76/5 25/1 - - 101/6 622/76
D2-0200Z - 93/2 - - - 93/2 715/78
D2-0300Z - 79/0 - - - 79/0 794/78
D2-0400Z 7/0 57/1 - - - 64/1 858/79
D2-0500Z 47/2 2/0 - - - 49/2 907/81
D2-0600Z 30/1 5/0 - - - 35/1 942/82 16
D2-0700Z - - - - - 0/0 942/82 60
D2-0800Z --+-- --+-- --+-- --+-- --+-- 0/0 942/82 60
D2-0900Z - - - - - 0/0 942/82 60
D2-1000Z - - - - - 0/0 942/82 60
D2-1100Z - - - - - 0/0 942/82 60
D2-1200Z - 4/0 - - - 4/0 946/82 50
D2-1300Z - 10/0 9/1 - - 19/1 965/83
D2-1400Z - - 66/0 - - 66/0 1031/83
D2-1500Z - 1/0 105/0 - - 106/0 1137/83
D2-1600Z --+-- --+-- 116/0 --+-- --+-- 116/0 1253/83
D2-1700Z - - 32/0 62/0 - 94/0 1347/83
D2-1800Z - - - 82/0 - 82/0 1429/83
D2-1900Z - - - 35/0 56/0 91/0 1520/83
D2-2000Z - - - - 78/0 78/0 1598/83
D2-2100Z - - - 23/0 43/0 66/0 1664/83
D2-2200Z - - - 93/0 - 93/0 1757/83
D2-2300Z - - 31/0 23/0 - 54/0 1811/83
D3-0000Z --+-- --+-- 54/0 --+-- --+-- 54/0 1865/83
D3-0100Z - 35/0 13/0 - - 48/0 1913/83
D3-0200Z - 37/0 - - - 37/0 1950/83
Total: 84/3 399/8 622/10 496/25 349/37
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