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[CQ-Contest] KQ2M 2002 ARRLDXCW SOABHP Unassisted

Subject: [CQ-Contest] KQ2M 2002 ARRLDXCW SOABHP Unassisted
From: kq2m@mags.net (Robert Shohet)
Date: Mon Mar 18 22:01:21 2002
                          2002 ARRLDX CW      

      Call:      KQ2M
      Category:  Single Operator          33.0 hours operation
      Power:     High Power Unassisted      
      Band:      All Band
      Mode:      CW 
      Section:   CT

      BAND     QSO    QSO PTS PTS/Q COUNTRIES
      160       16       48   3.0       16
       80      255      765   3.0       52
       40      596     1788   3.0       70
       20      970     2910   3.0       81
       15      925     2775   3.0       94
       10      881     2643   3.0       84
     --------------------------------------
     Totals   3643    10929   3.0      397  =   4,338,813

All reports sent were 59(9), unless otherwise noted.
Equipment Description:

FT1000MP & Titan x2

10 5/5/5/5 @ 23/37/65/101' Top Rotatable  37' on T2X sidemount
15 5/5/5/5 @ 30/59/89/109' Top Rotatable  59' & 89' on T2X sidemounts
20 4/4/4   @ 58/84/131'    Top Rotatable  Others Fixed NE
40 40-2CD  @ 66 & 123' Fixed NE, 3L NE wire beam @ 50', KQ2M Design 4-square
80 KQ2M Design 4-square
160 Phased Inv. L's

2 Phased 260' NE Beverages 
         260' South  
         260' West

Comments:  

Friday afternoon @ 3 PM the station was ready, I was ready and cndx sounded
great.  I was psyched!  6PM when I got up from my nap, I had chills, a bad
headache with 102 fever and lots of gunk in my chest.  I had gotten my 
daughters FLU!  I knew I was in trouble because the SOABHP category is 
extremely competitive and a real endurance event.  If you are very sick, you 
have almost no chance at winning. 

I knew it was a race against time and I decided to take my offtime at 02z 
on Sunday.  I hoped that I could tough out those 26 hours until the 
antibiotic, cough medicine and ibuprofen could take effect.

I had a BLAZING start on 40 with 94 q's by 0030 and 126 q's @ 0040 and I 
entertained thoughts that I could make it to the end and break my record.  
I started SO2R to keep up the rate and finished with a 167 first hour, but I
was fading very fast.  By 0130 my fever was up to 103 degrees and when I 
coughed it felt like someone was stabbing me in the head.  I operated most 
of the next hour wearing a parka and wrapped in a blanket with my head on the 
operating desk.

Over the next 8 hours, whenever the chills and fever lessened I would try 
SO2R but usually after about 5 minutes I was back to one radio without 
tuning. I just didn't have any energy and the discomfort was intense.
When you are sick, you really notice just how draining SO2R can be!

Cndx seemed fabulous the first night, but then the bands seemed to fade about
14Z on Saturday. I had a lot of trouble keeping my concentration and keeping
up the rate.  In one respect, doing very little SO2R made it easier to 
concentrate on running, but I just couldn't stay focused and awake.

By 19z, I was just trying desperately to make it to my 02z planned offtime,
but the fever wouldn't diminish and the cough/chills were taking their toll.

I went to 40 @ 22z and had a decent hour (115) with a few LP JA's but then
the hallucinations started on top of everything else.  Since I have not
had any contest hallucinations since the '87 ARRLCW, I knew that my body
simply couldn't take anymore and it was time to quit. I staggered upstairs
at about 0030z and slept until about 15z on Sunday.

I had 2891/356 at 00z which I was thrilled with under the circumstances.
I hadn't passed many guys to other bands nor actively tuned for much of the 
contest with the 2nd radio, but despite that I was still on a record pace.

I felt a little better on Sunday (after 14 hours of sleep!) and operated
wrapped in a blanket.  I just couldn't get anything going on Sunday and it 
was still too difficult to actively tune much with the 2nd radio.  Late in
the afternoon, the medicine started to help and I began passing guys and 
actively tuning.  This was becoming fun, but it was not the kind of 
competitive effort that I had hoped for.

After the contest, I mentioned to Barbara, my XYL, that in the '93ARRLCW
I drove 270 miles with the flu and earaches to operate at KM1H when I was
even sicker.  I operated 43 hours in that one and came in second, but needed
two days to recover before I could drive home.  Barbara told me I was 9
years younger then and pretty foolish.  She was right.  I didn't feel too 
proud after that! 

Thanks to everyone for the q's and the QSY's and congratulations to W4PA
on his victory and to W9RE, N2IC, K9NS and others for their great scores.  

Despite everything, I had a lot of fun and look forward to the 2003 ARRLCW! 

73,  

Bob KQ2M

Club Affiliation: Frankford Radio Club

This is to certify that in this contest I have operated
my transmitter within the limitations of my license and have
observed fully the rules and regulations of the contest. 
Signature _________________________________

           MAILING ADDRESS:
               Robert L. Shohet  KQ2M
               51 Scudder Road
               Newtown, CT 06470

                  KQ2M  2002 ARRLDX CW  SOABHP Unassisted 

HOUR      160      80       40       20       15       10    HR TOT  CUM TOT  

   0    .....    .....   156/41    .....     7/6      4/4    167/51  167/51 
   1      .       1/1     22/3     16/10    25/7     19/2     83/23  250/74 
   2     2/2     89/23     9/0      1/1       .        .     101/26  351/100
   3     5/5     67/8     11/3       .       3/2       .      86/18  437/118
   4      .       6/0      2/1    109/21     1/0       .     118/22  555/140
   5      .      12/5       .     121/10      .        .     133/15  688/155
   6     4/4     18/2     40/0     17/1       .        .      79/7   767/162
   7     3/3     10/9    103/2       .        .        .     116/14  883/176
   8    .....     4/3     10/0    125/9     .....    .....   139/12 1022/188
   9      .        .       5/5    139/3       .        .     144/8  1166/196
  10      .       1/1      9/7    127/2       .        .     137/10 1303/206
  11      .        .        .        .     198/31      .     198/31 1501/237
  12      .        .        .        .      40/0    107/32   147/32 1648/269
  13      .        .        .        .        .     161/12   161/12 1809/281
  14      .        .        .        .        .     109/7    109/7  1918/288
  15      .        .        .        .      11/10   122/4    133/14 2051/302
  16    .....    .....    .....     1/1     62/5     66/4    129/10 2180/312
  17      .        .        .        .     133/9      5/3    138/12 2318/324
  18      .        .        .       1/1    103/5     14/4    118/10 2436/334
  19      .        .        .      23/0     56/2      5/1     84/3  2520/337
  20      .        .        .      92/7      3/1       .      95/8  2615/345
  21      .        .        .      90/2      8/4       .      98/6  2713/351
  22      .        .     115/2      1/0      1/1       .     117/3  2830/354
  23      .      18/0     23/2       .        .      20/0     61/2  2891/356
   0    .....    29/0     .....    .....    .....    12/0     41/0  2932/356
   1      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
   2      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
   3      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
   4      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
   5      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
   6      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
   7      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
   8    .....    .....    .....    .....    .....    .....    ..... 2932/356
   9      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
  10      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
  11      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
  12      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
  13      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
  14      .        .        .        .        .        .        .   2932/356
  15      .        .        .       3/3       .     100/5    103/8  3035/364
  16    .....    .....    .....    .....     2/0     98/2    100/2  3135/366
  17      .        .        .        .      63/1     11/1     74/2  3209/368
  18      .        .        .       1/1     55/0     10/1     66/2  3275/370
  19      .        .        .        .      70/0      1/1     71/1  3346/371
  20      .        .        .      33/1     48/5      1/1     82/7  3428/378
  21      .        .       1/1     59/1      9/0       .      69/2  3497/380
  22      .        .      84/3      2/2      6/1       .      92/6  3589/386
  23     2/2       .       6/0      9/5     21/4     16/0     54/11 3643/397
DAY1    14/14   226/52   505/66   863/68   651/83   632/73    ..... 2891/356
DAY2     2/2     29/0     91/4    107/13   274/11   249/11      .    752/41 
TOT     16/16   255/52   596/70   970/81   925/94   881/84      .   3643/397

HOUR    160      80       40       20       15       10    HR TOT   CUM TOT 

   0   .....    .....    55/169   .....     3/140    2/108   61/166   61/166
   1     .       3/22    20/68    10/100   15/99    13/91    60/84   120/125
   2    2/55    48/110    9/57     1/88      .        .      61/100  181/116
   3    5/58    44/91     7/93      .       3/56      .      60/86   241/109
   4     .      10/38     4/27    45/146    1/56      .      60/118  300/111
   5     .       5/148     .      55/132     .        .      60/134  360/115
   6   13/19    18/59    18/135   11/90      .        .      60/78   421/109
   7    1/169    8/73    50/123     .        .        .      59/117  480/110
   8   .....     3/87     8/74    49/152   .....    .....    60/139  540/114
   9     .        .       4/77    56/149     .        .      60/144  600/117
  10     .       2/39     4/136   56/136     .        .      61/134  662/118
  11     .        .        .        .      59/203     .      59/203  720/125
  12     .        .        .        .      17/142   43/149   60/147  780/127
  13     .        .        .        .        .      60/161   60/161  840/129
  14     .        .        .        .        .      60/109   60/109  900/128
  15     .        .        .        .       5/134   56/131   61/131  961/128
  16   .....    .....    .....     1/77    25/149   34/118   59/130 1020/128
  17     .        .        .        .      56/143    4/67    60/137 1081/129
  18     .        .        .       1/106   50/123    9/92    60/118 1141/128
  19     .        .        .      22/62    36/92     1/225   60/84  1201/126
  20     .        .        .      57/96     2/88      .      59/96  1260/124
  21     .        .        .      56/96     4/132     .      60/98  1320/123
  22     .        .      59/118    1/57     0/157     .      60/117 1380/123
  23     .      12/89    21/64      .        .      15/82    48/76  1428/121
   0   .....    21/82    .....    .....    .....     4/166   26/96  1454/121
   1     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
   2     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
   3     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
   4     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
   5     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
   6     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
   7     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
   8   .....    .....    .....    .....    .....    .....    .....  1454/121
   9     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
  10     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
  11     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
  12     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
  13     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
  14     .        .        .        .        .        .        .    1454/121
  15     .        .        .       3/66      .      52/115   55/113 1509/121
  16   .....    .....    .....    .....     0/267   59/99    60/101 1568/120
  17     .        .        .        .      49/77    10/63    60/74  1628/118
  18     .        .        .       2/39    52/63     7/87    61/65  1689/116
  19     .        .        .        .      58/72     1/82    59/72  1748/115
  20     .        .        .      23/86    38/76     1/73    62/80  1810/114
  21     .        .       1/68    51/70     7/80      .      58/71  1868/112
  22     .        .      53/95     1/106    6/62      .      60/92  1928/112
  23    4/33      .       7/49     9/59    21/59    16/59    58/56  1986/110
DAY1  0.4/39   2.5/89   4.3/117  7.0/123  4.6/141  4.9/128   .....  23.8/121
DAY2  0.1/33   0.4/82   1.0/89   1.5/73   3.9/71   2.5/99      .     9.3/81 
TOT   0.4/38   2.9/88   5.3/111  8.5/114  8.5/109  7.5/118     .    33.1/110 



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