[SCCC] NAQP SSB W6TK Single Op LP

[Dick Stepanian]

                    North American QSO Party, SSB

Call: W6TK
Operator(s): W6TK
Station: W6TK

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: CA
Operating Time (hrs): 10.0

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Mults
-------------------
  160:    1     1
   80:  134    30
   40:  154    45
   20:  420    53
   15:  108    25
   10:    0     0
-------------------
Total:  817   154  Total Score = 125,818

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Team: SCCC #2

Rig:  FT-1000MP- MkV
Antennas:  10-40 Mtrs:  HyGain Explorer 14 at 50' - single rotatable
element on 40
                       80 Mtrs:  1/4 wave slopper...used antenna tuner in
rig for 1-160 mtr Q
Software:  N1MM  

Comments:  Originally I thought I was going to only get in about 6 hours
max because of a 
previous schedule conflict...but that dropped off the calendar and my
wife had a good book
to read...so we are all happy!!!!  I got started a little late but
decided to work 15 to try to get 
whatever I could while I might have a chance.  I was surprised at how
well it played for the 
first hour.  After last weekends post contest comments I was hoping to
get a few Q's on 10...
but every time I took a listen there was nada!  After migrating to 20 I
was S/P for about an 
hour and found several mults...but band was certainly puny to the east
coast.  I began running 
sometime late in 2nd or third hour on 20 and was surprised how well
things went...even 
though east coast was generally weak and not plentiful.  Having a single
rotatable element for 
40 on the tribander (which is tuned for low end) I knew when 20 finished
I was going to have 
trouble keeping up any rate.  I stuck on 20 for quite a while taking a
few listens on other 
bands along the way.  After 5 hours I had about 525 Q's...think this was
best first five
hours I've done.  After that things did slow down as I expected -
especially as 20 faded into the
sunset!  40 was not bad...but took a couple of 30 minute breaks in
mid-late afternoon.  Then 40 
perked up a little but guys were commenting that 80 was sounding really
puny.  I took an hour 
break about 6PM and when I got back on 80 was still pretty rough. 
Bounced between 80 and 
40 rest of the evening.  I was able to snag 4 or 5 east coast mults on 80
toward the end of the 
contest tuning down between 3700-3750     Used to ant tuner in the Mk-V
to load up the 
80 mtr slopper and made one Q on 160.  Not a very good way to go!   
Thanks for all the Q's 
and hope everyone had as much fun as I did!  73's till next time. - Dick