[SCCC] SS SSB W6TAI Single Op HP

[Carrie Tai]

 >                     ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, SSB
> 
> Call: W6TAI
> Operator(s): W6TAI
> Station: W6TAI
> 
> Class: Single Op HP
> QTH: Joshua Tree, CA
> Operating Time (hrs): 
> 
> Summary:
>  Band  QSOs
> ------------
>   160:     
>    80:  106
>    40:   70
>    20:  140
>    15:  103
>    10:     
> ------------
> Total:  419  Sections = 78  Total Score = 65,364
> 
> Club: Southern California Contest Club
> 
> Comments:
> 
> Equipment: FT-857 transceiver, AL-572 amplifier, CQPWIN 12.0 software
> 
> QTH: My cabin near Joshua Tree, CA.
> 
> This was my second year in amateur radio and my second time operating Phone
> Sweepstakes from my little cabin in Joshua Tree.  I operated last year using a
> borrowed Tri-Ex T-436 crank-up tower with a 75 meter inverted vee up 23 feet at
> the apex, a two-element tribander (Hy-Gain TH-2) at 25 feet, and a 40-meter
> ground-mounted vertical.  The little tower, which had crisscrossed the country
> on Wayne Overbeck's (N6NB) "cabover kilowatt," was getting up there in years
> and was binding so it would only go up to about 20 feet. When I decided to do
> the contest again this year, we knew a better antenna system was in order (the
> seized up rotator was probably also a sign).
> 
> Lo and behold, Dave Glenn (N6TEB) had an unused 5-section Tristao tower lying
> in his side yard.  Before we knew it, that tower was on a trailer headed up to
> Joshua Tree, where it sat until we realized that Sweepstakes was coming up. We
> had to GET TO WORK!
> 
> A few weeks ago, we raised my newly-adopted tower and bought a shiny Cushcraft
> A4 tribander with the 40-meter extension.  Putting up the antenna was
> challenging.  Missing parts galore and a fiberglass insulator that failed 5
> minutes after the driven element was up.  Yep, five minutes.  That meant Wayne
> had to drag John, N6MU, up to Joshua Tree on a weekday to reinstall the driven
> element with a heavier fiberglass insulator.  
> 
> So, Phone Sweepstakes was a chance to try out the new station and tower, now 45
> feet tall with an inverted vee that stretched out forever.  Thanks to Wayne's
> expert wiring skills, we didn't even need to cut a new hole into my house. 
> Everything seemed to work really well.  I received many compliments on my
> signal and was very surprised when a few people actually knew me.  I even "ran"
> on 20 and 15 meters for a while and was amazed that there was a pile-up from all
> the people trying to work ORG.  Seriously?  Orange?!
> 
> Sweepstakes this year was a lot of fun, especially once the sections (and
> multipliers!) started rolling in.  I ended up with 78 sections (missed NL and
> PR) but hardest section to get was... LAX!  I worked W6TA ten minutes before
> the end of the contest for my only LAX Q.  Like last year, I'm really glad that
> I jumped in, even as a beginner, and did my best.  I'm inspired by all of the
> legendary contesters out there, many of whom I worked but more importantly,
> listened to and hopefully learned from.  And lastly, I want to thank all the
> supportive hams on the air.  Hope to work you all next year.  I should have my
> bird-deflector owl mounted on the tower by then.  73, Carrie Tai, W6TAI
> 
> 
> Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/