Thursday, November 23, 2023

For WQ6X SS-Ssb is FULL of Surprises


For me, BoTh Sweepstakes Events (Cw and Ssb) are a function of my radiosport-DNA. 
In recent years, I have gone to great lengths attempting new approaches to taking 1st-place
in a number of different W6 (California) ARRL Sections.  Because I have run so many SS-events
from East Bay section, it surprised nearly everyone this year when WQ6X sent the section as SDG (and NoT EB).

In an attempt to reduce that confusion, when. I recorded the voice memory for Function Key 2
(F2),  I PURPOSELY exaggerated enunciation of the section name "Sannn Dee Aaa G-o-o-o". 
With a 5th function key, it would have been possible to record "SAN DIEGO - Sierra Delta Golf!".

The goal for 2023 SS-Ssb was to put some hours in the remote-OP chair for NX6T's LP multi-single operation (I ran 7-10pm Saturday and 3-8am Sunday) while running a dozen or more hours as WQ6X running Unlimited-QRP remote from KN6NBT's Ramona QTH in N. San Diego County.

It didn't take long to realize there was a dearth of serious activity from the SDG section,
encouraging the finding of clear run frequencies, creating lengthy pileups that often disappeared
as quickly as the began.  5-stations call in at the same time - I work one station (10-seconds max), say "QRZ?" and - NOTHING!"  HuH?  Where'd-j'all GO?  You can't wait 10 SECONDS?  wOw!

Fortunately, a new addition to the SS-Ssb rules allows self-spotting every 10-minutes, creating
an Ssb-equivalency of the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) available to CW and RTTY operators.
Typing WQ6X into the callsign field and clicking the "SPOT" button would bring a flood of calling stations w/in 30-seconds.

A quick summary of a few key highlights (excerpted from the 3830 Score Submission) are useful:

When it was all over, it would seem that WQ6X running QRP took 1st-place overall and set
a new record for the Southwest Division - NoT bad when you consider what I had to work with.

NX6T (running Low Power) took 2nd-place overall and 1st-place for the Southwest Division. 
Overall, I think this was one of the most successful challenging Sweepstakes I have ever
run - even surpassing 2011 run of SB-section from a tent on Carpinteria State Beach.

DiD YOU work the ARRL November Sweepstakes?

IS WQ6X or NX6T in YOUR LoG?


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