[3830] NA Sprint CW N3BB HP

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NA Sprint CW Contest - September

Call: N3BB
Operator(s): N3BB
Station: N3BB

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: stx
Operating Time (hrs): 1:25
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Op Time
---------------------
   80:    0        
   40:   45    1:25
   20:  100    1:25
---------------------
Total:  145    Mults = 38  Total Score = 5,510

Club: Central Texas DX and Contest Club

Team: Four Guys

Comments:

It was a disaster for me. Had to quit at 01:25 when the 20 meter antenna system
went "open" in terms of SWR. I checked the inside connections with a
dummy load at the bulkhead, and it was clean inside, so something opened up
between the bulkhead's outer side and the StackMatch, since any and all
combinations of the three 20 meter yagis were the same: open (infinite SWR).

It was a bitter disappointment, of course. The bands sounded good, and I have
almost no noise on 20 meters any longer with the new tower grounding system, so
I could hear anyone even if S-zero.

I had only the small 40 meter two-element yagi but I had decided to hit SO2R
much harder than in the past, and had made 45 QSOs on 40 meters in the first 90
minutes doing that. I was losing some jump balls that normally I would get, but
all in all, the little antenna on 40 was okay. 

Also, had 100 QSOs on 20, and probably would have ended up with 10-20 more in
the next 30 minutes before converting to 40/80 for the last two hours. I could
have, maybe should have, simply bagged it on 20 and spent the rest of the
Sprint on 40/80 but I was just to PO'd with another evidence of unreliability
here at the station that I just couldn't. 

All in all, what a total disappointment. The mults were probably going to make
the low-mid 40's since a lot of the closer in mults would have come through on
40/80. I did hear and miss the KP4 station on 20 several times, but probably
would have gotten him on 40 as well. Oh well. You lose some and this was a
downer. 

It's such a thrill to do this contest, with so many excellent competitors.
Congratulations on the great scores. 

73, Jim  N3BB


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