[PVRCNC] EssEss EssEssBee N4GU SOHPUNSBSH

[Mike Barts]

My unofficial category is Single Op High Power Unassisted Stuck Beam 
Sinus Headache

         Band    QSOs    Pts  Sec
          3.5     378     756    2
            7     112     224   10
           14     341     682   56
           21      78     156    1
           28      30      60   11
        Total     939    1878   80


             Score : 150,240

This was the first running of the bull with the K3. It'll do. Think 
I'll keep it.

I like to set my contest goals after the contest. This insures a high 
level of success. My goals for phone SS were, in order, a clean 
sweep, 150k points, and 1k Qs. Well, two out of three ain't bad, at 
least according to Meatloaf.

The highlight of the contest for me was a memorable pig farmer 
encounter. During a run on 75m (of course!) a pig farmer decided that 
he would follow every transmission I made with a certain common 
vulgar phrase for a particular illegal act (in at least 11 states and 
most of the PVRC circle) . Decency prevents me from mentioning it, 
but you might hear it in the wind. I naturally ignored the pig farmer 
and in fact grinned as I continued to hit F1 knowing my DVK could 
outlast his vocal chords. He only cost me one QSO, after that I just 
worked through him and he eventually tired of his pointless exertions 
and finally left me alone when he realized I wouldn't take his bait. 
What would phone sweepstakes be without the pig farmers?

Got the sweep by 1:00 PM Sunday, but spent waaay too much time 
fighting the pileup and propagation on 10m for VO1TA. About an hour 
after I worked him, heard him on 15m even stronger ..... The only PR 
I heard was a KH2 operating portable. He wasn't contesting but gave 
out a few Qs. I got #6. Whew. When did South Dakota suddenly fill up 
with hams? I believe I worked more SD this time than I usually work 
all year combined.

I'm a better phone op than cw op, but I'm ready to go back to cw 
contesting again ......

73, Mike N4GU