[Elecraft] Re: [azqrp] ARRL November Sweepstakes CW

[Vic K2VCO]

Larry East wrote:

> That's why I have pretty much given up on the "big" contests and just 
> operate QRP contests.

Actually, the ARRL Sweepstakes can be a great deal of fun and practice 
for the "little pistol" or QRP operator (at least for those in the US 
and Canada!).

You must work a station only once, not once per band.  This means that 
those of us without 40-meter beams and 80/160 meter arrays are not 
automatically out of the running.  There is a QRP class.  This year I 
worked many QRP stations, and judging by the QSO numbers, some of them 
were doing quite well.

One way to greatly improve your CW sending is to make a serious contest 
effort and send all of the exchanges with a paddle or bug, rather than 
letting the computer do it.  You would be amazed at how much more 
effective the real thing is than sending from the phone book.

I also think that operating behavior was quite good this year, for the 
most part.  Contesters did NOT blow off weak or QRP stations (not the 
same!) and really dug to get all of the details of the exchange.

I don't have a superstation.  I have a 2-element quad at 45 feet for 
20/15/10, a simple vertical on 40, and a highly suboptimal inverted L 
for 80.  I used my K2/100 by itself, and did not use packet or telnet 
spots.  I ended up with more than 700 QSOs in 79 sections!  Last year 
this kind of score was good enough to win my section.

I especially urge those of you located in the NNY (Northern New York) 
section to give it a try next year.  You will be in GREAT demand!

-- 
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco