[CQ-Contest] ARRL CW Sweepstakes - Check out the Soapbox comments

[Larry Hammel]

There is still about a week to go before the Sweepstakes CW log submission
deadline - and already 1100+ logs have entered via the friendly robot. Is
your log there?  http://www.arrl.org/logs-received?con_id=29577

On a related note:
A number of interesting stories have already shown up in the SS-CW SOAPBOX
section of the ARRL website.  One that caught my eye was the K7WA effort
from Yellowstone National Park.  Jim has a two-month volunteer job at the
Park and likes to participate in Sweepstakes from WY. He was there in 2009
and operated from his car with Hamsticks.  This year, he brought along some
dipoles so he could operate from his cabin - definitely much warmer and
more comfortable after dark!  He erected a 40 meter dipole on a 16 foot PVC
mast in snow flurries just a half-hour before the contest, and also stuck
up a 10 meter zip-cord dipole on the cabin ceiling.   You can see his
operating position (complete with paper log and dupe sheet) and a nice shot
of his QTH in this SOAPBOX feature.  His battery & solar powered station
along with some basic antennas netted Jim a total of 536 QSOs and a Sweep
(after the last two needed sections called in during the final hour.) No
wildlife pictures, so I presume that the bison and elk left Jim alone this
year.

The on-line SOAPBOX capability lets us share interesting stories right
after the contest, but it seems to be an underutilized asset. Do you have
something that others would fine interesting? Maybe you could describe the
highlights of your operation, your success story or particular challenge, a
'personal best' performance, or tell of that visit from Mr. Murphy.
Consider putting together some comments about your SS experience that we
could all enjoy.  It will have even more impact if you include an image or
two.

It is a simple process to add a note to the Soapbox.  First, go to
http://www.arrl.org/soapbox and enter the 2011 ARRL Sweepstakes (CW) event.
Take a few minutes to check out what others have already submitted. After
that, click on the link entitled "Add Your 2011 ARRL November Sweepstakes
(CW) Soapbox Comment". It will take you to the web-based entry screens for
both text and image submission. Easy!

After your log has been submitted, take a moment to check out the Soapbox
area and consider sharing your SS experience with the rest of us.

Thanks!

73,
Larry K5OT
ARRL Sweepstakes Contest Manager