2008 ARRL November Sweepstakes (CW)

N8CPA -- Dec 15, 2008 15:41 ET

Oops! Wrong Soapbox. Nothing to see here.

Dit dit. -- N8CPA

WO2N -- Dec 10, 2008 15:12 ET

SSCW It wound up a typical text book finish for me. Clean Sweep, my main goal by early Sunday Afternoon, As in my previous 7 Sweeps. Condx okay for low cycle, PAC first QSO, then things got kind of scary with no VE stations logged in first 2 hrs. Sunday I found VY1EI hanging out there,and finally a W7OX, EWA last one for the Sweep,tnx guys and everyone. In all my years of SSCW it never seems to fail, the excitement of never knowing what sections will become rare. Easy sections last year become the hard ones to find this year, and vs versa! I'll be back,CU next yr, de Bernie/WO2N/NLI.> -- WO2N

KB7Q -- Dec 2, 2008 19:33 ET

Pre-contest wondering what it's like to have 800 watts on hand.

After two years of running QRP in the SS-CW with excellent results I decided to go whole-hog the other way and run unlimited class. Todd, WA7U, had just grown a new crop of antennas over the summer and graciously agreed to let me use his station. Well now - being able to hold a frequency was quite a treat as was nailing the errant sections as they were spotted and popped up on the computer's band map. Kind of "Whack a Mole" for technical types! ;-) VO1HP slid into the log Sunday morning for my first sweep.

I'm pretty sure my 184K points is good enough for the NW Division plaque and a new Montana record. Elecraft K3 -> SB220 amp, and N1MM logger.

Gene -- KB7Q

K7MM -- Nov 29, 2008 21:20 ET

K7MM Does SS "Field-Day Style" in NNY. (It's a lot colder than in June!)

K7MM/2 From A Rented Room in NNY

I had a business trip to Western New York just after the Sweepstakes weekend. So, I left a day early for my trip. I was only 4 hours away from the rare Northern New York section, so I arranged a bed and breakfast near Watertown, NY. The owners let me erect my OCF (off-center fed) dipole in the trees. Here is a photo of me working outside (after a recent snow) attaching a sky hook with fishing line, then twine, then rope, then antenna.

I operated from my rented room using the side of an overturned chest of drawers as a desk. I was literally on the edge of my seat for the whole contest because I sat on the edge of the bed. Note that I brought a "real," external keyboard instead of using the laptop keyboard.

I got part-time packet spots from the Internet via my mobile (cell) phone modem in my logging computer. However I got VY1EI because that station happened to start CQing on the frequency on which I was CQing on 20 meters. I quickly and gladly deferred to the VY1 after getting the multiplier logged! After I spotted VY1EI came the huge pileup!

Managing all the luggage and taking my Icom IC-756PROIII in a carry-on case was a chore, especially with airline rules today. But, it was all worth it for the Clean Sweep and new SSCW NNY Unlimited record.

Dan at K7MM, VU3MMW -- K7MM

W1MX -- Nov 25, 2008 22:21 ET

Call: W1MX Operator(s): KB0VVT Station: W1MX

Class: School Club HP QTH: EMA Operating Time (hrs): 19

Summary: Band QSOs ------------

80 meters: 252 Qs

40 meters: 200 Qs

20 meters: 241 Qs

15 meters: 34 Qs

------------ Total: 727 Sections = 80 Total Score = 116,320

Hello Everyone,

I had a somewhat difficult time pulling some stations out of the noise but I did not do too badly with 727 QSOs and a "Clean Sweep" from a part-time effort.

Next year is the 100th anniversary for the MIT club station. It would be outstanding if we could make a great showing in SS CW and SS Phone in the School category next year! Perhaps some of the former MIT Radio Society Alumni that are presently contesting can give us some tips on how to improve the station to make an impressive showing next year. Next year may be my last Sweepstakes at MIT depending on where I attend Graduate School.

I am presently a junior at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). My major is Electrical Engineering or Course 6 as it is called here at MIT.

Thanks for working me during the contest,

Rebecca MIT, Class of 2010 -- KB0VVT

Rebecca, KB0VVT, operating W1MX at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) during SS CW 2008.	Clean Sweep !!!

AA4Q -- Nov 20, 2008 23:06 ET

AA4Q in a tent operating QRP from AZ at night

AA4Q operating position during the day at a break from the hunting trip

Sweepstakes occured the same weekend as my hunting trip, I kinda enjoy operating QRP on camping trips and thought this would be fun. In fact it was operating SS 2007 during last year's pre-hunt camping trip that renewed my interest in Ham Radio and QRP.

So I brought the IC-703 and batteries and during daylight, strung a 40m dipole 30' up a pine tree and the 20m wire ground plane from a Jackite pole bungeed to a bush with the radials starting about 6' above the ground. I was at 8360' in Northern Arizona, north of the grand canyon, DM36VP - 36deg 38.754' north, 112 deg 14.058' west. Surrounded by tall pines.

The Rig and paddle were set up on a food box inside the test and I pretty much had to kneel on the ground and operate by lantern light, log with a pencil, dupe by scanning down the log real quick. kinda like Field Day only less comfortable.

I was only able to operate about 6 or 7 hours total, mostly after dark. I was hoping to get 100 QSOs but only got to 99. QRP is tough with limited antennas and time.

I didn't think I'd be able to re-rig an antenna in the dark, that's why I put up 2 before dark, I should have strung an 80m dipole off the same coax as the 40m and I wonder if a dipole on 20 wouldn't have been better than a vertical in amongst tall pines (whose sap-filled trunks are also vertical). I had planned to put the 40m vertical wire up on the fiberglass pole but decided on the dipole for that reason.

if you're curious as to how I did in the other "test" that week see: http://bill.poole.com/deer08.jpg

73, AA4Q -- AA4Q

KE7DX -- Nov 21, 2008 00:42 ET

First Nov SS in years! First challenge was figuring out the year I was first licensed! The QST article archive helped with that: 1974 (age 13). Spent my time S&P for multipliers. Got to the magnetic 75! Only US mult missed is NNY. Heard a couple of you respond to others but couldn't gain your attention! Still need a few states for WAS, so appreciate your response to QSL requests! Thanks to WP3R, KP2M and VY2ZM for having big signals in the areas that are needed most!

Gear: Kenwood TS-520 100W, Homebrew G5RV-style Antenna -- KE7DX

VE2EZD -- Nov 18, 2008 13:29 ET

This year was my second attempt at the ARRL November Sweepstakes CW.

As I improved my QTH situation from an appartment to a rented duplex contesting became something a bit easier to do. The goal this year was to improve my CW skills and to get to the PINS level of more than 100 QSOs.

As a renter the most difficult part is to get the transmission line into the house without having to drill any hole. The solution came in the form of an existing RG-6 cable getting into the house from an unused sat dish. After a small reversible modification I had a line going from the patio to the rig inside the house. The 75 Ohm line was a big tradeoff but considering my situation it was the best compromise. The antenna was a two band dipole hung just about 3 meters over the patio. I was able to switch it from 40m to 20m using a simple alligator clip jumper wire on each leg.

The rig was a brand new Yaesu FT-950 selected for its renowned receiver and its advanced CW features. Logging and radio control came in the form of an old PC running N1MM Logger. To send CW I used a Winkeyer USB from K1EL. A TT1 Touchtapper used as an Iambic paddle came in for the rare not expected and not pre-programmed replies.

During the contest my strong bands were as expected 40m and 20m. Even if the Z11-pro could easily tune the antenna on 80m, my setup was not very efficient on this band. The few QSOs I made on 80m were very difficult as my signal was very weak on the other side.

The FT-950 was a pleasure to operate in CW. I first tuned the rig to a station I wanted to work by ear. Then I used the visual indicator on the display to fine tune the radio. In CW being zero-beat is always a clear advantage and even more when you're low power and your antenna is marginal.

I was still not confident enough to go with a run so all my operation was in S&P. I was particularly glad to work KH6LC (PAC) some 8000 km away on 40m. CW is a very rewarding mode!

In the end I achieved 148 QSOs in 63 sections. I had a lot of fun and I'm looking forward for next year SS. I hope my story will encourage some of you not yet involved to give this great contest a try.

73s de Louis, VE2EZD (Contest Group du Québec) -- VE2EZD

A view of my shack	My radio, a Yaesu FT-950.
Operating at night during the Sweepstakes

N8CPA -- Nov 18, 2008 07:19 ET

I was worried that I might miss CW SS this year. In late August, I broke my ankle--first time I ever broke a bone. And in my case, not only did the repair take surgery, it also required a lengthy stay in a "care center," aka a rest home.

I don't understand why it's called that, since I got very little rest. There was a regimen of occupational and physical therapy to promote the knitting of the bone, not to mention the amount of milk I added to my diet for the sake of my fractured fibula--yech!!!

Early in my admission to the center, I had told the administrators about my release goal, and why. And I asked if there was any possibilty that I could operate from the large courtyard, if my recovery proved thus slow to require such an operation. The answer was negative--concern over older pacemakers and life support gear, scattered throughout the facility.

But being crazy about CWSS, I was committed (Go ahead, groan!) to be out in time to participate. And then my wife brought my October QST, and I read what an Olympian event this Sweepsstakes was to be.

I don't know about others, but CW-SS is always an Olympian event to me. I plan my operating year around it. I count down days from one to the next. But this one was going to be the stupendously Olympian of Olympian events! And that further tempered my resolve to be home for it. I started pushing my own exercise envelopes farther, verging on excessively, to the concern of my therapists.

I usually spend fall testing my antennas and training my ear for SS by particpating in the CA and PA QSO Parties. But, this year, being preoccupied with physical training, I was only able to monitor CQP from the courtyard of the facility, sitting in my wheelchair, a short, telescopic antenna mounted to a side panel, TH-F6 in my hand. Listening to CQP that way, and unable to answer the calls I heard, proved too depressing for me to monitor the PAQP.

But I'm glad my regimen worked! I made it home in time to participate in the 75th SS. And though I only managed 244 Q's to log 76 Sections, I want to thank everyone for a great time.

Now I can't wait to see if that commemorative magnet sticks to my leg over the area where a metal plate holds my fibula together--not exactly a broom on the tower, but what a memento of a stupendously Olympian of Olympian League events!

Soapbox supplemental. April 17, 2009: With 203 days remaining until CWSS'09, I received my 75th Anniversary 2008 Sweeptstakes magnet. No. It does not stick to my leg. But it looks great on my filing cabinet. Thank you, League!

-- N8CPA

W0FF -- Nov 17, 2008 16:18 ET

Jim W0FF works a lot of FB DX from this station.

Here's W0FF in front of the 2-element quad and the HF2V. Nice fall colors, eh?

Thanks to Jim W0FF and Deloris K0RRO Glasscock for hosting me from their new QTH 30 miles west of St Louis near Union, MO. The last contest I'd operated from the Midwest was at Jim's previous QTH in south St Louis during the '82 CQ WW CW. I forgot how much fun (and how different) operating SS is from the middle of the country. On a whim, Jim tossed up a low 80-meter dipole and it turned out to be exactly the right antenna for this contest, working coast-to-coast and beyond all through the night.

Equipment used includes FT1000 and IC7000 (LP) transceivers, a 2-element quad at 50' for 20/15/10, an HF2V on 40, an 80-meter inverted-vee at 30', and N1MM logging software.

Final results were 1050 QSOs and 79 sections, only missing the difficult VY1/VE8 section. If the score holds up after log-checking, it will be a new section record from MO. -- N0AX

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