[RSM] SS SSB K3KU -- Manitoba edition

[Art Boyars]

  "You're kinda weak, but we'll give it a try."  How many times did I hear
that, trying to work western QSOs?  It proves what I wrote last year, "I
knew that 100W on SSB was going to be tougher than on CW, and I knew that
the supposed-to-be-useful high bands would be tougher with an 'all band'
dipole."

SOLP    20 hours op time

Band  QSOs
   80:  220
   40:   85
   20:   38
   15:   57
   10:   12
------------
Total:  412  Sections = 79   Total Score = 65,096

Easy QSOs with VE4VT and VE4GV. Also heard S&Pers VE4IM and VE4S?? (I
forget the call), but I couldn't interest them in myself.  Other Canadian
Prairies QSOs were VE5SF, VE6AO, and VA6CNC.  From ONN, VE3OLP me
(excitement and joy!), and I later found VE3CX.

QRV 2330Z Saturday evening.  Three QSOs on 20M, including PR and BC.  Then
down to 40M for 17 QSOs (MB and PE, but they were easy enough this year).
CQing was unproductive.  So, ...

Down to 80M, with big expectations, based on last year's run of over 100
QSOs at 84/hr.  Well, but for last year's amazing experience, I might have
thought that this year's 89 QSOs at 53/hr was great.  The volume just
wasn't there for me, and no surprising mult's.

I ended that first run when the slowing rate coincided with the need for a
short "house tour" (ya' gotta stop for a few minutes, but not long enough
to take a time out).  After that, it was a typical SOLP SSB slog: flip from
band to band; try S&P; try CQ; push.  A couple of times during the night my
rate got so slow that I took 30 minutes off.

With no reasonable goal for QSO total, and little hope for a Sweep, I
invoked K3KU's maxim: Tune for maximum fun.  If I felt like CQing, I called
CQ (even on the high bands).  If I felt like hunting for mult's, I hunted
for mult's (why else did I spend so much time on 10M?).

Sunday afternoon I decided to drop down to 40M and try running.  Oh ****!
there is a loud buzz wiping out 40M. And 80M.  And audible on 20M.  So, all
Sunday afternoon I was forced to scrounge on the high bands.  The buzz was
still there when the high bands closed, and around 23Z I took a couple of
hours off.  I got back on about 0115Z; 13 QSOs in 40 minutes, but it was no
fun.  QRT, with an hour to go.

The Story of the Sections -- the good, the bad, and the ultra-cool:

Heard LAX on 40M about 03Z Saturday evening.  Based on their rarity in SS
CW, I took much time and effort to break the pileup. Then I worked four
more. (Where were you guys on CW?)

Heard the loud WH7 on 40M about 07:30Z.  One call, and PAC is in the bag.
"Amazing," I said before I sent him my report, and it was.  I heard only
one other PAC, and could not work him.  I did hear the KH7 who is really in
AZ, and I had enough experience not to get excited.

Speaking of out-of-state prefixes, I heard a loud AL1 on 15M about 1830Z.
I called, and got all excited when he came right back... from WWA!  Drat! I
commented that I had hoped he was in Alaska.  He replied that he had hoped
I was in Delaware.  :>)  (I did get three real AK's, none of whom was
KL7SB.)

CQing on 20M Sunday morning brought an unfamiliar VE3... in ONN! TU OM! My
only real mult from running.  (I did get ONN regular VE3CX later on, but it
was great not to have to be concerned.)

I'm used to working a few SD's in SS CW and usually two ND's.  By Sunday
afternoon I had none.  I found a (the?) ND CQer Sunday about 1730Z on 15M;
big pileup.  It took many tries and several come-back-laters, but I got
thru at 18Z.

After working the ND I excursed around the bands.  About 19Z I popped up to
15M; the first station I found was K7BG.  One call, he gives me NR 68, and
SD is in the bag.  Phew.

Never heard NM nor (I think) EB; I must have been doing something wrong.
Indeed, I never even heard anybody work one.

I heard some other CQer sending a report to a VE2; never heard QC myself.

I think I heard an SB or two, but never with a chance to work them.

I found a nice loud SDG on 15M late Sunday afternoon.  Hey!  That's a
doable path.  Alas, I spent a lot of time (and a few come-back-laters) with
no success.  HOWEVER, ...

As I tuned away from the SDG, I found VY1CO, not so loud and only a small
pileup.  A couple of tries, and I GOT HIM!  (I always get excited about
working Canadians, especially multipliers.  I did also get VY1AAA later on.)