ARRL Sweepstakes - SSB
Call:K8DX
Class: SO High Power
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Section: OH
Summary:
Band QSOs
-------------------------------
160: 0
80: 683
40: 211
20: 409
15: 241
10: 52
-------------------------------
Total: 1596 x 79 +AD0- 252,168
Equipment: (2) FT1000-MP 1.5KW
Antennas: 80M Inverted vee +AEA-95'
40M Dipole +AEA- 35', 2EL +AEA- 130'
20M 5EL +AEA-105' fixed west
5EL +AEA-50' fixed southwest
15M 6/6/6/6 40/80/120/170'
10M 6/6/6 38/76/115'
Got down to the shack 30 minutes before the start of the contest
and started getting things ready. Needed to swap cables for radio
controls and could only get one to work. Wife comes into shack
as I'm trying to figure this out, asking me to watch the kids +ACI-for a
few minutes+ACI- because our 11 month old pulled a lamp on the floor
and there is glass everywhere. I get back in the shack 5 minutes
before the contest, and start configuring WriteLog. Tuned the amps
up and remembered my +ACI-pre-contest time+ACI- was going to be labeling
the second amps presets. Log the first contact on the wrong band
(as well as about the next 20) because the computer and radio B
are not communicating. It's about this time I also realize that the
contest doesn't start at 0200Z (reset computer clock to run TR in
CW SS). Needless to say I almost bagged it+ACE-
Running WriteLog with two radios,the SoundBlaster card is supposed
to control the keying line for the mics. Every few hours something
would happen and everything would go dead (the mute for the SB
and mic would get reversed) and the only thing to remedy the situation
would be a total reboot, costing me ATLEAST five minutes each time+ACE-
Should have spent more time on 10M in the beginning, but I've always
been told the low bands are king for SS in the Midwest. Thought with
my two radio setup I'd have a good chance at 2000 Q's since I did
1900 Q's two years ago, but just too frazzled from the start. Atleast I'll
have more knowledge on what to do next year :-)
73...Scott K8DX
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