[3830] SS CW K3TN SO Unlimited HP

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ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: K3TN
Operator(s): K3TN
Station: K3TN

Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: MDC
Operating Time (hrs): 10

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:  105
   40:  233
   20:  149
   15:   12
   10:     
------------
Total:  509  Sections = 83  Total Score = 84,494

Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club

Comments:

Murphy hit me early in this one. A wind storm a few months ago had taken down my
135' Windom and damaged the center insulator/balun. Got a replacement balun from
Buxcomm and put it up again, seemed to work fine in casual operating. 

However, after a short stint of S&Ping on 15/20, I settled down to run and
after a short time I saw the SWR creeping up until the KPA500 would fold back
and then trip back to STBY. A bit of checking, seems like only change is the
balun - must be heating up with power. Running a 500W amp in high power class
is pnishment  enough, so I contemplated switching to 100W A class, but had
already made a bunch of Qs sending U.

So, made an early move to 40 where the problem did *not* appear but 40 had gone
long real early - this was a year to say on 20M longer. Stuck it out, then made
the change to 80M a bit early - but the problem appeared on 80M. On 80M, I
couldn't even do fast S&P. That pretty much killed the first night for me.

On Sunday am I was support crew for my wife and friends as they ran the Bay
Bridge 10K race. When I got back, decided since I could only S&P I'd chase
the sweep. I had gotten VY1AAA and the rest of the hard Canadians the first
night, needed NNY, SB, AK, UT, EWA and NV. For some reason, UT and NV have
become late mults for me in SS, probably due to the decline in 15M. One by one
they fell, with EWA last in the log.

I think we need an education campaign to increase knowledge that PREC is that
letter you send after the QSO number and that PREC? means resend that letter!

Seemed like on Sunday the average score was higher than past years, especially
the MD/VA/NC scores - a good sign of activity and a good start to the annual
club score battle for SS supremacy. 

Despite all its warts, SS CW is just plain fun. And, I'll get a new coffee
cup...


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