[3830] NA Sprint CW W6YX(N7MH) HP

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                    NA Sprint CW Contest - February

Call: W6YX
Operator(s): N7MH
Station: W6YX

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Stanford
Operating Time (hrs): 4
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Op Time
---------------------
   80:   59        
   40:  135        
   20:  128        
---------------------
Total:  322    Mults = 52  Total Score = 16,744

Club: Northern California Contest Club

Team: northern california contest club #1

Comments:

Arrived at the W6YX shack one hour before the Sprint which should have been
plenty of time to get everything ready. Dave, AA6XV, was at the shack doing some
casual operating on 15 CW and then 17 SSB as I attempted to get my logging
computer set up and moved one feedline to my operating position.

While I waited for Dave to finish up so I could get the feedline for my second
radio, I checked SWR on all the antennas I planned to use. All was well except
for the 80 inverted vee which was over 15:1. This antenna hangs from the same
rotating pole that also supports our 2m EME array and has to be dropped whenever
the EME array is used. Visual inspection showed the wires had been put back up
and weren't touching either the EME array or the pole.

With less than a half hour before the Sprint start there was no time to further
diagnose this inverted vee. We recently added detachable CW extensions to a
second 80 inverted vee, cut for the SSB band, so I trekked up the hill to drop
that one and attach the extensions.

I got back to the shack, SWR looked good in the CW band, and then waited
anxiously for Dave to finish up on 17m. With less than 5 minutes to go I was
finally able to attach the second feedline, confirm the amp's tuning, and when I
glanced at the clock I saw that it was already 20 seconds into the contest.

With all of the extra preparations I had forgotten to go through my usual
pre-contest checklist. Around 20 minutes in, after losing many jump balls, I
realized that one of the 20m Yagis I was using was beaming toward VK/ZL. No
wonder KH6CJJ was so loud when he called!

I waited until the final hour to try 80 but probably should have gone there
earlier as I have a few more Qs on 20 than anyone else reporting but probably
would have many more on 80 if I'd moved down earlier instead of keeping a radio
on 20.

There were more stations active in this CW Sprint than any I've previously
participated in. I worked 200 different callsigns and my previous high was 189
in Feb. 2018. The increased activity, which boosted mults and scores, is more
likely due to targeted publicity than to the earlier start time.

Thanks for an enjoyable 4 hours.

73,
-Mike, N7MH


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