Very nice score, Tom, and glad to have another contester here in TV.
But one thing – too late now – you warned your neighbors! Hopefully, they won’t be blaming you when their TV (or their dishwasher) goes on the fritz! Some of my neighbors found out eventually that I was a ham, but they still don’t know of the potential problems I might cause.
Anyway, we’ll all keep our fingers crossed, and will look forward to your scores in CQWW!
73, Pete, K2PS
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Tom Menas
Sent: Tuesday, November 9, 2021 3:54 PM
To: TVARC Club
Subject: [TVARC] K3WT CW Sweepstakes SOHP
Hello TVARCers,
Just finished setting up my station here in TV and operated in my first contest. First of all, I’d like to thank John Ellis, NP2M for patiently helping me construct my 20 ft flagpole vertical (with an LDG 600 tuner) per his article along with answering some clarifying questions. I installed 38 radials of varying lengths consuming about 700 feet of wire (using Dog Watch Mid-Florida).
Like many of you in your pre-TV hamming, I was used to running 1.5KW and beams on all bands other than 80 meters. So, I was a bit apprehensive of how things would work out with my more modest station here.
I was pleasantly surprised. In the last half of the contest, after getting my feet wet with S&Ping I decided to run and was able to hold the frequency for a few hours with peak rates between 60 and 80 per hour. Condx were good. I tried 10 and 15 but they just were not as productive as 40 & 20. The flagpole vertical doesn’t tune on 80 (usually a productive band for me in SS while in MN).
And the good news: I’ve spoken with all of my neighbors and none complained of any QRM from me.
The acid test will be with the upcoming DX contests which I’m looking forward to.
ARRL Sweepstakes Contest, CW - 2021
Call: K3WT
Operator(s): K3WT
Station: K3WT
Class: Single Op HP (500 watts)
QTH: NFL
Operating Time (hrs): 13
Summary:
Band QSOs
------------
160: 0
80: 0
40: 200
20: 226
15: 1
10: 0
------------
Total: 427 Sections = 77 Total Score = 65,758
Club: The Villages Amateur Radio Club
73,