[SCCC] Fwd: CaQP N6HC SOFixed HP

[n6hc at aol.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: webform at b4h.net
To: 3830 at contesting.com; N6HC at aol.com
Sent: Sun, 5 Oct 2008 7:30 pm
Subject: CaQP N6HC SOFixed HP



                    California QSO Party

Call: N6HC
Operator(s): N6HC
Station: N6HC

Class: SOFixed HP
QTH: ORANGE
Operating Time (hrs): 21.5

Summary:
 Band  CW Qs  Ph Qs
--------------------
  160:   25      0
   80:  115    159
   40:  218    217
   20:  359    532
   15:    0      0
   10:    0      0
    6:    0      0
    2:    0      0
--------------------
Total:  717    908  Mults = 58  Total Score = 230,086

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Comments:

Another wonderful CQP has been sponsored by the NCCC.  A big thank you to all
the hard working guys and gals who take on the administrative duties to make it
happen.  As I get older, I find it more difficult to keep my butt in the
operator's chair so that I can KB from Southern California.  But each time I
was ready to reach for the main switch, something happened to renew my interest
and encourage me to drop anchor for another few minutes.  One of those times was
very late in the contest as I called CQP on 20 SSB for one "last" time and a VE8
answered my call for multiplier number 58!  I gave him the frequency, turned on
telnet, and immediately spotted him so that others that needed the NT
multiplier (assisted category) could also enjoy the pleasure of snagging that
last elusive multiplier.  I think this is the first CQP that I have ever
participated in over the last 30 years where I didn't make a single contact on
10 or 15 meters.  Each time I scanned those bands, all I could hear was the
hiss of atmospheric noise.  I know we all long for the return of those
sunspots.  My QSO total this year harkens back to a similar performance in
1997.  It was all peaches and cream from 1997 until 2008 when I slid back to
the lowly accumulation of just over 1600 QSOs.  A perfect 11 year cycle! 
Congratulations to Dan at W6YI and Craig at K6NA for super scores.  Ah...to be
young again...but even when I was young, I never had the radio operating skills
of those two gentlemen.  It was fun to briefly chat on the air to all the usual
suspects that frequent the conte
sting scene and CQP in particular.  I was
somewhat surprised by the large number of dupes that called me.  In this age of
computer technology, I find it hard to believe that anyone would use a paper log
in a contest especially when there is free logging software provided by the
sponsor.  Go figure!  I used my DOS 486 for the last time in this contest.  It
performed flawlessly, but I'm ready to graduate to a Windows based platform and
N1MM.  Although I like to think of myself as a CW afficionado, only 44% of my
total contact count was CW.  This squares with previous years and suggests
that, at least within the contesting community, CW is still alive and well. 
Murphy found a way to visit me during this competition.  My KLM two element 40
meter yagi had an intermittent resonance problem, indicating a poor connection
in the linear loading.  I have had this problem before, but I thought I had it
fixed.  Time to attack the antenna again before the first weekend in November. 
My wife fed and hydrated me during my operating hours.  She also showed polite
interest in my progress throughout the contest.  Without her support I would
have spent less time on the air.  I guess I should change my classification to
"assisted" for all you purists. Thanks again to all of you who participated in
this yearly ritual and made it an enjoyable weekend for the proprietor at the
"Hotel California".
Best regards,
Arnie  N6HC


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