Tuesday, November 19, 2013

ARRL Sweepstakes Contest SSB


Call: VE8EV
Operator(s): VE8EV
Station: VE8EV

Class: SO Unlimited HP
QTH: Inuvik, NT
Operating Time (hrs): 23

Summary:

Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    
   80:    
   40:   10
   20:  752
   15:   24
   10:  699
------------
Total: 1485  Sections = 83  Total Score = 246,510

Comments:

I made 700 Q's Saturday afternoon but once the high bands went out my rate came to a screeching halt (as usual).  I shouted at a few guys on 40m before I gave up and called it a night. I got back to it at 1200z Sunday morning and had a steady trickle of callers on 20m when I was the only one there but once the hordes started arriving I wasn't loud enough to hold a frequency anywhere. When 10m finally opened I got a run going and milked it for all I could.  I skipped 15m both days and just went straight from 10m down to 20m and carved out a spot to hang onto until the end.  I ran out of callers on 20m about 45 minutes before the end of the contest and just called it quits.  Maybe next year I'll get that 40m yagi put up...

I only used the spotting network to find PAC and PR but it bought me the sweep as they were the only two that didn't call me.  My last section was SF of all places and the only one heard was KJ6WDL who called in late Sunday afternoon. So nice to be able to say "Thanks for the sweep!" after hearing it so often from others.

Looks like the second year in a row for me (I wasn't on in 2012) that I got beat out for the top spot in Canada by an alien VY2!  VY2ZM (K1ZM) in SO-HP in 2011 and VY2TT (K6LA) this year in SO-U-HP. Congrats to both on great scores!

73
John VE8EV