[Elecraft] Sweepstakes

[Jack Brindle]

Bob;

No, you're not that bad. You just need to put things in context. The  
guys you are hearing, for the most part, are running lots of power  
(far more than 100 watts) with substantial antenna systems. While you  
(and I) go from frequency to frequency in a "search and pounce"  
exercise, their commanding power and locations allows them to sit on  
a frequency, call CQ and wait for us to come. Their stations are  
built to do exactly what they are doing, and their skills honed for  
the exercise.

Building such a station is definitely way cool, requiring lots of  
design savvy and more than a few dollars. Having the right radio  
makes a big difference, while knowing how to use its features to your  
advantage takes more than a little effort. Learning the ins and outs  
of contest software helps quite a bit, as can a good understanding of  
propagation conditions (and how to apply them). Add in a second radio  
for SO2R operation (to make use of the time when you aren't in a QSO)  
and things get really serious quite fast. Another area for advantage  
is location. A good high station in the clear will beat my valley- 
floor station almost every time. They just hear more than I do. There  
are lots of tricks and details that high-level contesters put to  
their advantage.

I really enjoy learning from these folks and apply quite a bit of  
their knowledge to my own operations. But I don't try to directly  
compete with them (except in a pileup, of course). There will be QSO  
totals in the high thousand zone for CW Sweepstakes, I'll settle for  
about 150. That will be more than I have previously done in CW SS  
(I'm more serious in phone SS - the number will be at least 500 and a  
sweep). I compete against my previous records and my friends. Lions  
and Christians? Hardly. You compete where you want to compete at your  
own level. That makes it a lot of fun!

So, no you aren't bad at all, just slightly overmatched at a high  
level, but probably exactly where you need to be at your own level.  
Noting that you are in the Northern California area, I would invite  
you to a meeting of the Northern California Contest Club so you can  
meet the wide area of contesters we have here in Northern California.  
You will find hams of all types, from _really_ serious contesters to  
good "little pistols" and more than a few "casual contesters." All  
enjoy contesting, and all can be very helpful for those wishing to  
improve their skills. Check the NCCC web site at www.nccc.cc for more  
information.

By the way, the K3 was designed to be able to compete in the very  
environment we have in contesting. It is going through its paces for  
the first time in CW Sweepstakes, and so far the results are very  
good. We knew Wayne and Lyle created another winner, now it is being  
confirmed!

On Nov 4, 2007, at 8:47 AM, Bob Fish wrote:

> Hi Guys,
>
> I, like probably alot of you, have been doing some casual  
> contesting this weekend. Once again, I am amazed at how bad of a  
> contester I am. It isn't my rig or antenna. I have a K2/100 and a  
> decent antenna. When I call someone they almost always respond  
> after the first call. My cw skills are pretty good I can exchange  
> contest info at around 30wpm if I have to, although I run between  
> 22 and 25wpm most of the time. I try not to get distracted, another  
> words I try to stay in front of the radio. So I feel as if I should  
> be, at least, competitive. But, it happens every time. I sit down,  
> eagerly awaiting the start of the contest, ready to do battle, and  
> get slaughtered. Within an hour or so I am hopelessly behind. After  
> 4 or 5 hours it is a joke. after 8 or 10 hours every station I work  
> has 600 contacts! Some of these guys are averaging a contact a  
> minute OVER 8 HOURS! I'm not mad, I am just amazed. My best contact  
> rate was about 30 an hour and that was only for a couple of hours.I  
> usually run a contact every 3 or 4 minutes. So after a while I get  
> discouraged and start getting up and watching football for a few  
> minutes or something else and then I really fall behind.  I don't  
> mind not winning, but I am getting clobbered by every one I work by  
> a factor of 7 or 8. I have to wonder, am I really that bad? The  
> funny thing is, by the time the next contest rolls around. I am  
> sitting in front of the radio, eagerly ready to do battle.......The  
> lions and Christians come to mind except the Christian weren't  
> willing participants.
>
> 73,
>
> Bob  K6GGO
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- Jack Brindle, W6FB
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