[SCCC] NA Sprint CW W4EF

[Michael Tope]

SPRINTCW Score Summary Sheet

        Start Date : 2013-02-02

     CallSign Used : W4EF
       Operator(s) : W4EF

Operator Category : SINGLE-OP
              Band : ALL
             Power : HIGH
              Mode : CW

         Club/Team : Southern California Contest Club
          Software : N1MM Logger V13.1.3

         Band    QSOs    Pts  Sec
          3.5      88      88    2
            7      82      82    4
           14     126     126   38
-----------------------------------
        Total     296     296   44


             Score : 13,024

               Rig : Yaesu FT1000MP MKV and Drake L-7

          Antennas : 20M - 3el Spiderbeam at 45ft
                     40M - 1/4wave ground mounted vertical
                     40M - Inverted-V at 37ft
                     80M - 1/4wave ground mounted vertical
                     80M - Rx 4 square


           Soapbox :

I came out of the gate pretty well (50 QSOs in the first 30 minutes), 
slowed a little in the 2nd 1/2 hour (38 more QSOs), and then really 
started choking in the 2nd hour. Sometime in the 2nd hour after the 
adrenalin from the 1st 30 minutes wore off, I started to notice a 
tightness in my back muscles behind my shoulder blades which seemed to 
make it hard to concentrate (I couldn't focus to save my life). The 
third hour was about the same. I got a little rate boost when I went to 
80 meters just before the start of the last hour, but it wasn't quite 
enough to break the 300 barrier. Later in the evening a few hours after 
the contest I developed a really deep cough and soar throat which I 
suppose could explain the tightness in my back muscles and the 
tiredness/poor concentration. This was unfortunate because I still had 
to go out in the rain after the contest to do some plumbing to get the 
water turned back on in the house at my remote site :-)

Multiplier wise the most frustrating thing was having a QSO with KU7Z in 
Utah trashed by QRM and then later having him respond "QSO B4" when I 
heard him in the clear. I tried to convince him that I still needed a 
QSO, but he slipped away. Also heard VE5 and WV, but no cigar.

When reflecting on the contest, the analogy of a mediocre golfer comes 
mind. I love the game, but I will probably never be "tour material" :-(  
See you all next time.

73, Mike W4EF..............