Was not sure we would be participating in this year’s Sweepstakes. Wednesday and Thursday before the contest I had ZERO voice due to laryngitis. Friday had some voice and by Saturday I was back to about 70%, so decided to give it a whirl.
The goal was about 10% increase to last year’s numbers, so that equated out to about 1250 contacts and all sections. So of course no SS can start without some antenna issues, Friday I noticed the full sized 80 meter vertical was not working right. Spent HOURS and much frustration trying to pinpoint the problem. Thought it to be a bad ground at the base of the antenna, some fast silver solder seemed to cure it, right until you apply TX power to it. Back to terrible. The problem would come and go.. About my 98th trip back to the antenna base I finally noticed that a strand of that white electric fence wire was touching the antenna (which is rohn 25 tower). ARRGHHHH. Move the wire and test again, problem solved… Note to self, quit overthinking problems dummy!

So overall we had a blast as usual. The 4 year old Twins would come sit and listen with their own headphones trying to figure out why we are talking to all those “strange sounding people”. We did not meet our goal, my voice was just not having it. Toni (XYL) would come give me some much needed breaks and mainly try and get those needed sections and did an outstanding job getting all besides PR. We could only BARELY hear PR once or twice on 40 meters, we tried calling but the odds of getting PR on 40 during the hours it was active was a pipe dream.  I did not hear any PR stations on other bands besides 40.

In the end we made 1039 contacts and 82 sections and spent a restless Sunday night dreaming of all those missed calls. Until next year, 73 Jack NK7J