[NCC] Fw: SS CW W1NN Single Op LP

[Hal Offutt]

That was a lot of fun but I'm glad it is over.  Those last few hours sure 
were painful.

I worked a lot of MRRC and NCC members but it seemed like some usual 
participants were missing this year.

Congrats to Dan W8CAR for his excellent LP performance and staying in the 
chair to the bitter end.  It looks like a plaque is in your future, Dan.

I of course ran across Dan CQing numerous times while on the prowl for 
stations to work and (unfortunately) I usually did not have to wait around 
very long to hear his number  I was ahead until at least 1300Z but sometime 
after that he took the lead.  With about 55 minutes left in the contest Dan 
gave out number 973 when I was at around 950.  I knew it was over then but I 
had a pretty decent last hour and somewhat narrowed the gap, but not enough.

Also, kudos to Earl N8SS for a great performance in very trying 
circumstances.  Earl, you were booming in on 40 and 80 when I worked you in 
the NAQP but you did not seem very loud when I heard you in SS.  Maybe it 
was just conditions.  Anyhow, it's great to have you back and I'm sure by 
next year we will have to really worry about you again.

And it was nice to have Jim back doing his multi-station thing.  I managed 
to catch him from all four stations.  I wish more people would follow Jim's 
example.

A few comments in response to some of the other messages a little later.


                  ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: W1NN
Operator(s): W1NN
Station: W1NN

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: OH
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Remote Operation

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:
   80:  379
   40:  342
   20:  147
   15:   67
   10:   38
------------
Total:  973  Sections = 83  Total Score = 161,518

Club: Mad River Radio Club

Comments:

Remote from Tokyo.  This was my first time to operate this event from here.
With the time difference, 80 meters is a daytime band here and the high 
bands
are open at night.  I had to constantly convert the time back to EDT (and 
then
EST) to figure out where I should be operating.

The remote equipment worked very well.  The main problem is the frequent 
burps
and clicks that the radio makes.  These always seem to happen when the other
station was sending his number or check, requiring a lot of repeats.  Not 
sure
why it does that.

The worst thing was being without a second radio.  After doing this contest
SO2R, it's really hard to go back to SO1R.  Sunday afternoon (early Monday
morning for me) was especially awful.  I had some really, really poor hours.
It was either CQ endlessly and read the paper or tune endlessly trying to 
find
new stations to work.

In the end, I did better than I expected and I was only 53 contacts behind 
my
2012 score, although that one was a little lower than it should have been 
given
that I operated the first 5 hours at 10 watts.

It amazes me how many 50s checks there were.  I guess those of us licensed 
in
that decade are really addicted to Sweepstakes, maybe because it reminds us 
of
our youth.  We need to get more younger guys in this to carry on the
tradition.

Thanks for the contacts and sorry for all the repeats.

73, Hal W1NN