[SCCC] W6PH SS CW SO HP

[W6ph at aol.com]

ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW

Call: W6PH
Operator(s):  W6PH
Station: W6PH

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: Lone Pine CA (ORG  Section)
Operating Time (hrs): 24

Summary:
Band  QSOs  Mults
---------------------------
160:      
80:  190      2
   40:  292      9
20:  434    13
15:   255    59
10:      
-------------------------
Total: 1171  Sections = 83  Total  Score = 194,386

Club: Bishop ARC

Comments:

K3 + Expert  1.3-FA  (SO 1.5R listening on FTdx3000)  
Win-Test (works just like  CT)
 
Antennas:
80m: 1/4 wave sloper below 3L-20
40m: 40-2CD at 60  feet
20m: 3L-20 at 60 feet
15m: 5L-15 at 60 feet

Temporary antennas  on three AB-577 masts

I'm still trying to reach that 1200 contact  threshold but it eluded me 
again. 

The upper bands were very mediocre and  15m shut down earlier than last 
year. 
Likewise 20m died at sundown and I  went to 40m which was long.  When I 
finally
went to 80m to work my  friend W6SX, I found I had been missing a very quiet
band that was open both  long and short.  It had a great foot print and 
there
was no  QRN.

I finished the first day only needing ND and NT and had 726  contacts.  
Early
Sunday morning KE0A called in for ND.  I  subsequently worked three more.  
I was
running on 20m and listening on  15m for any new stations and heard VY1AAA
calling CQ without any  answers.  I turned my 15m yagi north and his signal 
came
up to S7.   I pounced on him which was easy as no other stations were 
calling
him.   He asked how his signal was and I gave him 579.  He remarked that  he
couldn't get any answers.   

Finding a spot to CQ was  fairly easy all weekend as activity seemed a 
little
down.  There were  quite a few clicky signals on the air but easy to stay 
away
from.

I'm  still trying to find a way to ask for a repeat on PREC.  About half  
the
time the station repeats everything except the PREC.  Many times  when 
asking
for a specific piece to repeat, the station would resend the  whole 
exchange.  I
wonder if stations no longer use a paddle or the big  knob on the radio.

Many QRP stations had reasonable signals.  But  many didn't and it took 
several
tries to get their complete exchanges.   On a couple occasions I got their 
call
sign but their signal vanished into  the noise before I could get their 
exchange
and no contact was made.  I  just sent "NO QSO" and went on.

I spent Monday morning chatting with  friends about the SS.  That is as 
much fun
as the contest itself as we  all have highlights and lowlights.

I took a single off time from 11:30 pm  until 4:30 am and quit at 6 pm.  In
prior SS contests, the last hour had  been very unproductive.  So stopping 
one
hour before the end didn't  really hurt my score.

Besides Cal QSO Party, this is my second favorite  contest.  I remember 
when it
was two weekends and you sent your birth  date in the exchange with paper 
logs
and paper dupe sheets.  I am glad  those days are over!  K1EA changed all 
that
with CT in the late  80's.

I'm still trying to figure a way to explain to normal people why I  do this.

73, Kurt W6PH  (CK 55  ORG)