ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW - 2020

Call: W8FN
Operator(s): W8FN
Station: W8FN

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: NC
Operating Time (hrs): 23:30
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160:
80: 513
40: 299
20: 179
15: 27
10:
------------
Total: 1018 Sections = 81
Total Score = 164,916

Club: South East Contest Club

Comments:

My first SS from the new NC station, so didn't quite know what to expect. Given
my lack of decent antennas for 20 meters and higher, I expected to do better on
80 and 40. That turned out to be true, in spades. I had tentatively set out with
a goal of 700 QSOs. Instead, I ended up with over 1000 for the first time since
leaving Ohio in 1997, where I had real antennas and full power amps. I'm beyond
satisfied with these results -- I'm ecstatic.

For the first time, I also had fully functional SO2R capability, with
essentially zero interstation interference. The setup performed beautifully. I
spent the majority of time never hearing the transmit monitor on the
transmitting radio, instead listening on the second radio. It was great being
able to smoothly interleave QSOs between the run radio and the S&P radio
when the rates weren't high (which was most of the contest). Sunday is always a
day of boredom, just grinding out what you can at low rates. The new setup made
it much less frustrating. As the years go on, it gets harder and harder to slug
it out for 24 hours. The improved station made this year's effort far less
grueling than I expected.

Conditions were good, with much less QSB on the low bands than usual. Worked a
bunch of QRP stations, and most had pretty good signals.

Thanks to everyone for the QSOs. Maybe I'll see you for the SSB session (but NOT
for 24 hours!)

73...
Randy, W8FN

Station:
2X K3 / KPA500 / KAT500
Antennas:
80, 40 -- Fan inverted vee at about 55'
20-10 -- Fan triband dipole at about 35'