Re: CW Sweepstakes Contest

[Todd Fonstad]

I’ve worked the CW SS since 1958 when, as a 14-year-old Novice (KN9LWV), I
was thrilled to win the WI Section Novice Award with 103 QSOs in 38
sections. That only took 24 hours and several crystals to accomplish :)
Almost fifty years later, this old body finds it difficult to operate the
full time period, particularly in the wee morning hours and also Sunday
afternoon.

I'll be QRP with my K2 #1429 to a Force 12 C-4SXL 40-10M beam at 70', and a
176' doublet at 65'. I anticipate having to duke it out with the QRO
stations mainly on 40 and 80M here in the upper Midwest, although 20M should
be decent during the day. I believe there is a first-time attempt to get
folks together on 160M during from 0100 to 0200z toward the end of the
contest. Watch 10 and 15M, as these 'dead' bands surprise us with the sudden
rise in propagation during contests!

I'm selling my house, having remarried and moved across town to a
'less-friendly-to-big-antennas' neighborhood. Next year's setup will
probably be more typical of many hams ... a 'stealth' vertical in the
backyard and an attic doublet :(  So, this will be a 'last hurrah' for me
with access to good antennas.

Good luck to all, and yes, 30M is a good place to escape the madhouse if you
don't like contests.

72/73
Todd
N9NE
Oshkosh, WI

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[John-483]

Todd, I wish you all the best in your efforts tomorrow. In 2002 I was able
to claw my way up to #2 QRP in the US, only beaten by N6TR, who decided to
do QRP at W5MWU. I managed to work 881 q's with 79 mults. That was my last
shot before I moved to my new QTH. At my old QTH I had monobanders, 40M
thru 10M, with tribanders for S&P on the second radio. I was using my 2
K2's in SO2R configuration. I've been here for almost 2 years now and still
trying to get up some decent antennas. At age 64 I just don't seem to have
the gumption to climb towers. I keep telling myself to just do it. So far
I've managed to erect a short tower, 35', with a tribander (that has a bad
trap, 20M),  with a Ham III rotor that has a bad motor now. I just can't
seem to get it going. I have some nice monobanders laying on the ground in
pieces. Some day I hope to have a 55' tower up with a Skyhawk on it. My
point is this, give it all you got tomorrow, who knows what next year will
bring. As you know, SS is fun once you get started doing it, and it is a
real bummer when you can't join in. To all who may read this, I say give it
a try, you may get hooked. Another side benefit for QRPers, it's an easy
way to do WAS. It's a real treat to work all ARRL sections, except VE8, in
12 hours.

Famous last words, "I'll be back"

John
k7up


At 09:25 AM 03/11/06, you wrote:

>I've worked the CW SS since 1958 when, as a 14-year-old Novice (KN9LWV), I
>was thrilled to win the WI Section Novice Award with 103 QSOs in 38
>sections. That only took 24 hours and several crystals to accomplish :)
>Almost fifty years later, this old body finds it difficult to operate the
>full time period, particularly in the wee morning hours and also Sunday
>afternoon.
>
>I'll be QRP with my K2 #1429 to a Force 12 C-4SXL 40-10M beam at 70', and a
>176' doublet at 65'. I anticipate having to duke it out with the QRO
>stations mainly on 40 and 80M here in the upper Midwest, although 20M should
>be decent during the day. I believe there is a first-time attempt to get
>folks together on 160M during from 0100 to 0200z toward the end of the
>contest. Watch 10 and 15M, as these 'dead' bands surprise us with the sudden
>rise in propagation during contests!
>
>I'm selling my house, having remarried and moved across town to a
>'less-friendly-to-big-antennas' neighborhood. Next year's setup will
>probably be more typical of many hams ... a 'stealth' vertical in the
>backyard and an attic doublet :(  So, this will be a 'last hurrah' for me
>with access to good antennas.
>
>Good luck to all, and yes, 30M is a good place to escape the madhouse if you
>don't like contests.
>
>72/73
>Todd
>N9NE
>Oshkosh, WI
>
>--
>No virus found in this outgoing message.
>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.13.25/515 - Release Date: 11/3/2006
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
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>You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
>Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
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>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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