[3830] SS SSB WE9V(KB9OWD) SO Unlimited HP

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ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: WE9V
Operator(s): KB9OWD
Station: WE9V

Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: WI
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:     
   80:  324
   40: 1022
   20:  185
   15:   61
   10:     
------------
Total: 1592  Sections = 83  Total Score = 264,272

Club: Society of Midwest Contesters

Comments:

Thanks to Chad for the invite to do a serious effort from his place.  This is
really my first "all out" single op in awhile with family and kids
taking priority.  It was good to get back in the chair for the long haul and
pull forth a full effort.  

In general, the bands played alright but way down from my last all out
Sweepstakes effort in 2013.  I started out on 20 for the first hour with
alright rate, but felt I really had to push to hit triple digit hours from the
start.  About three hours in, I knew I was off my pace from a few years ago and
it's difficult to make that up later in SS.

40 was LONG early on Saturday however, the band acted strange throughout the
evening and would go short, then long and reverse several times.  I struggled
the first night to get anything going on 80 and stuck with 40 for the most
part.  Both evenings, 40 and 80 had periods of deep QSB here.  Some QSO's were
lost as stations faded during the exchange to never return.  I pushed straight
through until 0815Z Saturday night and slept for 3 1/2 hours.

I started briefly on 80 and quickly changed to 40 on Sunday morning.  40 had a
nice mixture of distant east coast and close stations throughout the morning on
Sunday and I stayed with 40 all morning, never leaving and the rate maintained
about 60 to 70 an hour, which I was happy with for Sunday.  

After lunch, I pointed west and called CQ briefly on 15.  The signals that
called in from out west were LOUD however I had difficulty getting anything
going.  This seems to be the case from our upper Midwest location.  15 is
challenging to get a maintain a run in SS and most activity stays on 20 and 40.
 After a bounce to 20 it was back to 40, which was again long.  I finished out
on 80 and the last 4 hours or so were a major grind.  Slow rates and lack of
sleep catching up at the same time made for a long ending.

Once nice thing to see from this end as noted by others were the number of
recent check numbers, a lot of 15 and 16 in there.  Great to see!  Chad's
station played very well and Chad put a lot of pre-contest effort into station
repairs and making sure everything was ready to go.  No visits from Murphy and
the station performed great!

One down side was the number of dupes that called in.  I don't know if this was
a problem for all, but as compared to recent memory, I had a very high number
call in.  Over 50 were logged and several others turned away.  Not sure what
was up with that.

A great weekend at the radio and a lot of fun regardless of a bit of a score
reduction and general poor conditions.  Thanks to Chad for the use of his great
station!  Thanks for all of the QSO's and see you next weekend from K9CT for
CQWW CW!

73,

Ryan KB9OWD


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