11/19/2008 | W1CRS The W1CRS (Connecticut Radio Society) 2008 SSB Sweepstakes Multi Op operation was conceived when my main rig did not return from the repair shop and I did not want to do another contest with my FT-897D.

When I mentioned my dilemma to Bob, W1RPG, he said, lets do a multi from your house Dave and Ill bring my new FT-2000 to connect to your linear and antennas. It was a no-brainer from that statement.

Both Bob and I had done the Sweepstakes in the past and had both done quite well in the low power, single op category, actually winning the Connecticut Section a few times.

Bob and I have also been experimenting with the N1MM software package. We thought it would be a good time to combine our partial knowledge and see if we could actually learn how to grasp some of the nuances of this powerful contesting tool.

Bob came over Saturday morning of Sweepstakes, rig and contest notes in hand. I had the hot coffee and bakery donuts ready for our brainstorming session of N1MM.

Previous to his arrival I got all of the wire antennas tuned, antenna switches labeled and the amplifier cheat sheet prepared. This was going to be the first time RPG would use a linear and we didnt want to loose a pair of 3-500Zs.

So between a late breakfast and even later lunch we felt confident that we knew how to
run the logging program and put RF into the correct antennas. By the way, both of us are of Italian descent so the food aspect is as important as the operating.

Our operating strategy, if we even really had one once the contest started, was that RPG would go home Saturday before the contest started and rest for the long day of operating on Sunday. I would scour the bands and work as many multipliers as possible before his return.

I started working some stations but the XYL then informed me of an outstanding Roast Beef supper our church was putting on, so the rig was put in standby while we dined.

That strategy worked out pretty well because when he returned Sunday I had 75 multipliers in the log. Over coffee and muffins we discussed what still needed to be accomplished.
Fifteen meters was hopping so WA6FGV in Santa Barbara was worked at 1801Z, for number 79.

Now where the @#$% were those Puerto Rico stations for the sweep was everyones question from Maine to Alaska!

Well at 1923 Z on 15, KP4SQs beautiful signal, bounced off the ionosphere to our station and W1RPG promptly entered him into our log. I found a broom, did the sweep dance (not a pretty sight) and had the XYL take some pictures to commemorate of success.

Only in this hobby would a picture of two 53 year old guys, smiling and holding a broom, mean anything of importance!

With our multipliers in the log, we now could relax and savor our victory. Time for lunch!

After a satisfying lunch of assorted cold cuts, cheeses and apple pie ~ala mode we were both energized to hit the bands.

We alternated between 15, 20 and 40 meters.

I had purposely not worked many stations I heard Saturday night and early Sunday morning since I was concentrating on working mults. Bob RPG was rewarded with a vast reservoir of stations to work instead of the dreaded Sunday Doldrums.

Since we were doing this contest to maximize our fun we wanted lots of stations to work on Sunday.

At 2130Z we headed for 75/80 meters to round out the late afternoon and evening. It was a pleasure to work all the stations on that band.

Then the funniest thing of the contest happened while W1RPG was running stations on 75.

My shack is in the basement, directly below the kitchen. My XYL was making dinner when she dropped a large bowl on the floor making a tremendous crash. RPG, not ready for this literally jumped 3 feet into the air. He thought a tube had let go in the linear and exploded. We laughed so hard we had to stop operating and take a dinner break.

My XYL prepared a great dinner of sausage and pasta primavera with garlic bread followed by apple crisp ~ala mode and coffee.

We hit the band again and started to notice fewer stations as the evening grew older, and before we knew it the end had come.

We only had one cockpit problem, that being on 75 meters with some RF getting into our recorded voice keyer, aka the bug light messages. This only happened while running a full KW, so we reduced power and it became bearable, but not eliminated.

Not a big score, 441 Qs and a clean sweep for 70,560 points. But at least we didnt go hungry and had some laughs.

CU on the bands
W1CTN Dave
W1RPG - Bob -- W1CTN