[SCCC] K6RO SPRINT SSB

[Larry Shapiro]

NA Sprint SSB Contest - November

Call: K6RO
Operator(s): K6RO
Station: K6RO

Class: Single Op LP
QTH: CA
Operating Time (hrs): 4

Summary:
 Band  QSOs  Op Time
---------------------
   80:   26    0:55
   40:   55    2;02
   20:   58    1:03
---------------------
Total:  139    Mults = 36  Total Score = 5,004

Club: Southern California Contest Club

Team: SCCC

Comments:

I had not done a Sprint since 1999 ? ,but when NE6I asked our SCCC members who
wanted to try it,I said yes.
Also the email from KW8N helped.
About 30 minutes before the contest started,I was CQ'ing on 20 meters,and felt
pretty loud. The band was full of signals,and I got good reports. Then the bad
news.. I started to smell something coming from my KPA1500 amp,and knew that was
not good news.I had to increase the drive from 17 watts to 50 to put out only
700 watts. Within seconds,the amp faulted,and would not work at all.
Now with 5 minutes until contest time,most of the loud stations were gone.
I decided to try low power,which which is not a good idea with my station. 
I worked 58 stations in the first hour,which wasn't too bad,as I was going to
stay on 20m for at least 2 hours,and hoped to make over 100 q's there.
The band died at 0100z,and that goal was out the window.
I just have a wire antenna at 15 feet for 40 and 80,and I knew I was in deep
trouble.
I plugged along on 40m trying to work anyone who could hear me.
There were some big gun stations that really had good ears to pull me out.
80m was even worse,but I had to hang in there.
I never heard many easy mults like NV,UT,IA,NE,AR,and MS.
I did work NC and NE minutes before the contest started,but never heard those
guys again.
This is a real fun contest,and I hope to try it again next time.
I really need at least 3 elements on 20,and 2 on 40m to have a decent
score..maybe someday from here,or will try and use another station with better
antennas.

Good things that happened :

I was tied with Bob KW8N with 2 q's each in the first minute. :)
I was happy I tried this contest,and look forward to next time.
20m was fun for 1 hour !

Congrats to all the big scores with pretty much 2 bands.
Time to box up my amp..for the second time :( and get it fixed.

It is really too bad that SCCC could not field a 5 man team for this contest
...

K3S 
JK Navassa at 40 feet..2 el om 20.
End fed wire for 40 and 80 at 15 feet.
Heil pro7
N1MM

Thanks for the q's,and hope to see everyone in SS in a few weeks.
73,
Larry k6ro


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