[SECC] Winning SS

[K9AY]

> Insights one and all?
>
> Hal
> N4GG
_________

Since I have two SS CW plaques for winning SE Division QRP, I'll add some 
comments specifically directed to QRP and low power ops:

1. You need a beam -- the 'classic' 70-foot tower with a tribander and 
shorty forty is a fine SS setup.

2. With low sunspots 40 may be the big money band. That shorty 40 will get a 
workout (see #4, too). Note that daytime operation on 40 has increased with 
SO2R, so an occasional check is worthwhile.

3. 80 could be very important if not too noisy. One key to rate, whether one 
radio or two, is to keep finding new stations -- readily done by changing to 
a band with different skip length. In successive CW SSs, I used a vertical 
and a delta loop on 80. Performance was completely "by the book" -- with the 
vertical, I worked more distant stations, and with the loop, I worked more 
close-in stuff. Both were about equally useful for rate and score; guess I 
need both!

4. Got an old tribander? Got wire for a dipole? From the SE, you need to 
cover everything from due W to NE. To keep from wearing out the rotator (and 
waiting for the antenna to turn), have an extra antenna for 40 and 20, 
oriented broadside due North or NNE. Low height is fine.

5. There are LOTS of easy QSOs at short skip and one-hop distances -- All 
those W5 ops plus SMC, MWA, MRRC, CCO, PVRC, FCG, TCG etc. Spend most of 
your time on the bands that are open to these high activity areas. Carefully 
ration your multiplier hunting time (or operate U class).

6. QRP and LP stations have a tendency to S&P too much. As you S&P, you'll 
find a clear frequency now and then -- jump on it and start CQing! The first 
time I woke up and started doing this (QRP), I calculated that it added 30 
or 40 bonus QSOs to the log.

73 from Up North,
Gary, K9AY

Hey, I still have the GA record for SS CW QRP -- somebody needs to take it 
away from me... ;-)