[3830] SS SSB ND0C Single Op QRP

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ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: ND0C
Operator(s): ND0C
Station: ND0C

Class: Single Op QRP
QTH: MN
Operating Time (hrs): 20.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:  105
   40:   77
   20:  160
   15:   18
   10:     
------------
Total:  360  Sections = 82  Total Score = 59,040

Club: Minnesota Wireless Assn

Comments:

This was my first big contest of the season due to conflicts with CQWW SSB and
CQP, so I was really looking forward to it.  I was concerned that the
conditions would be poor or at least unstable, but I was also hopeful that 15
might actually be open a little to take the pressure off 20 during the day. The
conditions did seem to be pretty poor here with deep QSB on all bands.  15 was
open a little on Saturday afternoon but definitely had a VHF feel to it with
"spot-light" propagation.  

Saturday afternoon went pretty well and my rate was OK (by QRP standards) even
through the night until I headed for bed around 1:30 AM local.  But my rate
really tanked on Sunday morning - just could not find new ones to work on 20 or
40 and wasn't able to run to any extent.

I had hoped to improve on last year's score and get another sweep, but neither
were "in the cards" this year.  It was very hard to find a KH6 or
KL7, so when I finally did the pileups were pretty daunting.  On the other hand
I stumbled across VY1AAA all alone.  Early Sunday afternoon I moved from 40 to
20 to hunt for the VE4 I was missing.  I had to tune for about 10 seconds
before coming across VE4VT.  Crazy luck! Disappointingly I never did hear a KP4
and that was the one mult I ended up missing.  

It seemed like the activity was down this year - maybe just my imagination. 
But there sure weren't many stations running from all the traditionally
"rare" sections.  I guess that's why they're consistently rare!  My
wife is in favor of going to KP4 next year to activate it.  It sure be fun to
run from there!

It was nice to get so many compliments on my signal - even on 40 and 80.  And I
did "feel loud" at times, especially on 20.  80 is, not surprisingly,
brutal when it comes to running QRP.  But by choosing my battles I could slog
it out - never calling a station if they weren't at least 5dB over S9 (and
preferably 10 over!).   I thought both 40 and 80 seemed to go long early both
evenings, then eventually shortened late Saturday night. 

I never could get any runs going - my CQs resulted in short strings of only 2-3
QSOs - not worth it.  I just wasn't being heard well enough to attract
attention.  Ahh - the life of a QRPer!  So the vast majority of my QSOs were
S&P which is really wearing after a while.  

All in all, it was fun and also a bit miserable at times.  Missing the sweep
was definitely disappointing.  Oh well, there's always next year!  As always,
thanks to everybody for the good ears and putting up with the repeats on 80
meters.  (Typical reply to my exchange on 80: "I need it all again.")
 

73, 
Randy, ND0C

Antennas: TX38 tribander Yagi at 40 feet - 2 separate full length elements on
15 and 20; rotatable dipole for 40 at 43 feet; inverted vee for 80 with apex at
38 feet
Rig: Yaesu FTDX3000 running 5 watts output

"You don't have to be crazy to run QRP in the SSB Sweepstakes ... but it
helps!"


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