I thought I'd write a few notes about just what we, as a club, are trying to accomplish with Sweepstakes this year.

First of all, we should all know that to enter in the Medium Club Category, we can enter no more than 50 logs total for CW and SSB.  In other words, we can enter 15 CW logs and 35 SSB logs or 25 CW logs and 25 SSB logs, etc.  If we enter 51 logs, that puts into the Unlimited Club Category....with PVRC, SMC, etc.

It's interesting that the Southern California Contest Club enters in the Medium Club Category every year and usually wins it.  This year, we want to see PL259 win the Local Club Category and MLDXCC win the Medium Club Category.  I want NCCC members to see that Northern California clubs can rally to make their clubs winners.  We hope to see NCCC enter in the 2016 SS in the Unlimited Category, assuming MLDXCC places well in the Medium Category this year.

I took the MLDXCC membership list (a 2014 list) and put together a spreadsheet (based on 3830 scores) showing every MLDXCC member who participated in SS last year.  I'll note that some of these members submitted on behalf of MLDXCC, some for PL259, and some for NCCC.  I did not include those members who have moved away or are a silent key.

In a year when there was no push to compete in SS, we had 20 MLDXCC members submit logs for SS CW and and 20 submitted logs for SS SSB.

The members who submitted CW logs in 2014 were:

AE6Y

K6CSL

K6DGW

K6GT

K6III

K6LRN

K6MM (also a PL259 member)

K6NV

K6OK

K6ST

KH7Y (now residing in MLDXCC territory)

KR6N

N6EE

N6TV

N6XI

N6ZFO

W1RH

W1SRD

W6OAT (also a PL259 member)

WC6H

The members who submitted SSB logs in 2014 were:

AA6K

K3EST

K6CSL

K6DGW

K6DN

K6GT

K6III

K6LR

K6LRN

K6MM (also a PL259 member)

K6NV

K6SCA

K6ST

K6TA (with K6KO)

KR6N

N6TV

N6ZFO

W1RH

W1SRD

WC6H

The total claimed points for each category:

CW: 2,084,242

SSB: 2,191,628

If all of these members had entered on behalf of MLDXCC, we would have been in third place, but very close to the first place number from SCCC, which was 4,600,526.

Now, how do we beat SCCC this year?  Well, I took a look at the same 2014 membership list and listed the members who submitted 2015 CQP logs but not 2014 SS logs.  These members are:

AF6SA (new member)

K6BEW

K6KNS

K6LE

K6YK

KE6GLA (with KE6PNP)

KG6YST

N6JC

N6RK

W6RKC

W6SR

WA6OSX

WK6I

WX6V

This group supported the team for CQP, and their support is much appreciated because it sure looks like MLDXCC will bet the Top Club plaque again.

To win SS this year, we need about 1500 Q's beyond what was scored last year.  If most on the list of those who did CQP this year (keep in mind the 50 log total) but did not do SS last year made at least 150 Q's, we've probably got our first ever ARRL SS gavel.  This assumes that everyone who did SS last year participates this year.  Assuming K6MM and W6OAT submit for PL259 instead of MLDXCC, we still can do it if some of us work just a little bit harder.  There are several in the CQP list who did more than 500 Q's.

So, here's my recommendation:

1 -It will take most of the calls listed in this email (excluding John and Rusty) to win this year, and we can win it.  If John and Rusty submit for MLDXCC, that will REALLY help, but I absolutely understand if they submit for PL259.

2 - If you want to work SS CW, get on the air this year and go for it.  In other words, everyone on the SS CW list and everyone on the CQP list who wants to do CW, go for it.  We'll see how many participate and then look at how we're going to push the log count for SS SSB.

3 - SCCC won it last year with 45 logs.  The second place club submitted the full 50 logs.  We need the full 50 but not one more.

4 - Even if you think your log won't help, please do get on the air and please do submit your log.  You can submit on behalf of NCCC if you think your 30 Q (for instance) log will hurt MLDXCC's log count.  A contest sponsor needs your logs for log checking purposes.

5 - You can still help the club by just making a few Q's but not submitting on behalf of MLDXCC.  Since in SS you can only work each station once (not once per band but once period in CW and once in SSB) the best way you can help is to get on 80 meters (and/or 40 meters if the band is short) and work your fellow members.  

Other suggestions or a critique of this is appreciated.  The big show is this weekend and we want to see at least 25 logs!

Bob

W1RH