[SCCC] SS SSB K6NA (N6ED op)

[Craig Gullickson]

Thanks to all of you in the SCCC who got on this
weekend to operate and stopped to say hello.  My
margin over the next highest score was 6 QSO's!!!
As they say, every QSO counts!!!


ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB

Call: K6NA
Operator(s): N6ED
Station: K6NA

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: SDG
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:  177
   40:  336
   20:  579
   15:  697
   10:  295
------------
Total: 2084  Sections = 80  Total Score = 333,440

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Comments:

After missing SS last year due to major illness in the
family, it was 
nice to
again look forward to taking part in the contest.

On Sat morning, I went through my normal ritual and
finally got to 
tuning the
bands about 20 mins before the start.  10m had
virtually a handfull of 
stations
on it but there were some big guns blasting through. 
It got me to 
thinking that
a 15m start might not be the best idea so the strategy
changed right 
there.  I
got on the band and started to make some noise and
soon had a big pile.  
This
choice was definately right!

I got underway with a first hour of 167, followed by
hours of 155, 147, 
134,
135, and 100.  Needless to say getting some sleep and
eating a good 
breakfast
were imperative this year!  (Wheaties, who needs
them!!  The K6NA cafe 
is
KING)

I changed some of my strategy this year and it really
paid off.  By the 
time I
went to bed, I was a full hour ahead of my previous
rate in 2002.  I 
learned
even more this year and think there is some fine
tuning that can be 
done for
next time as well.  

Waking up on Sunday to a major thunderstorm was not
what I was dreaming 
of that
night but it certainly was a reality.  It rained hard
for over 2 hours 
at
Glenn's place and I found out later it actually snowed
just miles from 
his
place!  We had several lightning strikes in the
vicinity and for the 
second
contest in a row at his place I have shaved off a year
or two of my 
life!!  I
was sweating bullets but hey, aren't contesters known
for letting it 
all hang
out?  I also found out later that Glenn slept through
it!!  Thank god 
the 150'
lightning rods weren't utilized this weekend and I
live to see another 
contest
:)

The downside for me this year was the last 3 hours.  I
can't explain it 
other
than I worked EVERYONE possible.  My last 3 hours were
36, 32, and 29.  
That is
almost hard to comprehend and trust me, I tried to
pull out all the 
tricks that
Sunday requires and it just didn't get me rate.  This
was by far the 
worst 3
hour finish I have ever experienced in SS.  Maybe we
can give a "fresh 
meat"
award for Sunday ops?  ;-) 

In summary, this year was real gratifying to me with
both performance 
and
enjoyment.  I had a ton of fun working all the guys,
gals, and 
especially the
newbies.  The consistant competition between great ops
like K5TR, W7WA, 
K7RL,
K6LL, K6LA, and others is what keeps me coming back. 
One thing about 
SS, it's a
"learn by doing" contest and I respect the guys who
have been doing it 
for as
long as I have been alive!  They are the guys year
after year who are 
at the top
of the crop and believe me, it ain't easy!

CU all in the next one!
73, Craig N6ED



	
		
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