SWEEPSTAKES 2014

November 16, 2014 - Once again, I dabbled with the annual 2014 ARRL Sweepstakes SSB contest. My logging software was functional, antennas were tweaked, snacks were prepared and I was well-rested. There was plenty of time to participate and I was eager. Forty Meters is a "golden band" for the evening hours here in the Mid Atlantic. It offers one an ability to accumulate several QSO's during the evening hours and I planned on spending most of Saturday evening on 40M SSB.

Scott (N3FJP) and Gary (WC3N) were running tests on 40M SSB yesterday afternoon, so I joined them for a nice QSO. Unfortunately, during the middle of our testing, I developed terrible RFI in my shack -- just an hours prior to the contest! The configuration of my end fed wire -- which was ideal during the summer months -- wasn't working now. The RFI caused my computer to freeze / crash. It distorted the audio in my transceiver monitor circuit so badly that I couldn't wear headphones (thankfully, reports from other stations confirmed my transmit signal was "clean").

The RFI caused severe problems with my logging program, so I needed to find alternatives. I made several changes and was eventually able to use another rig on 40M SSB, but at much lower power. Ultimately, it just wasn't worth the added effort needed to contain the RFI and continue. I became weary of switching between radios and continuously (re)tuning my end-fed antenna used on 40M, so I "gave up" a just few hours into the contest.

In hindsight, I recognized Sweepstakes "isn't for me." I prefer S&P'ing DX contacts on my "most wanted" list rather than accumulating a contest log. Achieving a "clean sweep" -- something that didn't happen this year -- has always provided a greater sense of satisfaction than does slugging through the entire contest. I much prefer working a contest with a group of people than going solo.

Searching for contacts on my "most wanted" list became a revised goal for this weekend. I went to bed earlier than planned and then jumped on 80M early this morning in search of a few new states for 5Band WAS. Successful contacts were completed operators in Alabama, Louisiana, North Dakota and Montana (80M) and South Dakota (40M). I copied a station from Georgia on 80M SSB, but wan't able to complete a QSO. Belgium, Curacao and Gabon were added to new bands and I successfully contacted W1AW/5 (MS) on 12M SSB. All of these operators are listed of LOTW users, so I anticipate receiving electronic confirmation for each contact.

Right now, the VU4KV DXpedition (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) is weak-readable on 20M SSB here in the mid-Atlantic. The frequency cops are having fun and there's a CW signal creating interference -- sadly, par of the course for DXpeditions these days. The band is too noisy to complete a contact with VU4KU and the QSX frequency range is being used by a net and Sweepstakes contestants, so I'm sandbagging. I hope to add this new DXCC Entity to my log soon!

Band conditions last year seemed better than what we had for this weekend. I recall successfully making many more "rare" contacts with Canadian territories last year. I didn't "copy" Yukon Territory, Nunavut or even Hawaii this year. Here's hoping all the Sweepstakes participants (including PVRC members) enjoyed the weekend. As for me, this one was a bust.

And so it goes...