2021 ARRL Sweepstakes CW K5ZD

writeup 
Call: K5ZD
Operator(s): K5ZD
Station: K5ZD

Class: Single Op HP
QTH: MA
Operating Time (hrs): 23.2
Radios: SO2R

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
  160:    0
   80:  199
   40:  582
   20:  402
   15:   53
   10:    0
------------
Total: 1236  Sections = 84  Total Score = 207,648

Club: Yankee Clipper Contest Club

Comments

Exceeded my goal of 1000 QSOs.  45th consecutive year of doing so…

First 8 hours was truly fun.  The last 8 hours was not fun at all.

Lost my motivation on Sunday morning when it was so slow.  No matter what I tried, N2NT and AA3B kept getting 1-3 more QSOs per hour.  There was no off-time strategy.  Took breaks when I couldn’t take it anymore.

Felt like I had more dupes than usual. Lots of guys must have busted my call the first or second time.  I worked all who called. 

This contest puts a premium on good copy.  Almost hated to work some guys when they were weak knowing they would be loud on another band later.  I was looking for KL7SB on 40 when he called me on 80.  That is not a band where you want to try to copy the exchange of a new/rate multiplier.  I called him later on 15m for insurance and he said worked before.  The same thing happened with VY1AAA.

First QSO was very marginal.  Second time I could hear him much better and he would not work me again.  Would hurt to “work” a guy twice and lose the mult if I missed the number.  Such is the game.

Great contest. Nothing needs fixing except the activity level.  We just aren’t making CW traffic handlers like we used to.

Station

K3 + AL-1200
K3 + AL-1500

80m: 4 square, dipole
40m: 40-2CD @110′
20m: 205CA @100′
15m: 155ca @66′

WriteLog software, MK2R+ SO2R box

Rate Sheet

 Hour      80      40      20      15     Total     Cumm    OffTime

D1-2100Z    -       -     79/28   25/18  104/46    104/46  
D1-2200Z    -       -    101/15    3/2   104/17    208/63  
D1-2300Z    -     42/4    35/4     2/1    79/9     287/72  
D2-0000Z  --+--   68/0     9/1    --+--   77/1     364/73  
D2-0100Z   8/1    78/1     1/1      -     87/3     451/76  
D2-0200Z  17/0    69/1      -       -     86/1     537/77  
D2-0300Z  16/3    60/1      -       -     76/4     613/81  
D2-0400Z  29/0    29/0      -       -     58/0     671/81  
D2-0500Z  39/0    17/1      -       -     56/1     727/82  
D2-0600Z  16/0    16/0      -       -     32/0     759/82  
D2-0700Z  15/1    13/0      -       -     28/1     787/83     12
D2-0800Z  --+--   --+--   --+--   --+--    0/0     787/83     60
D2-0900Z    -       -       -       -      0/0     787/83     60
D2-1000Z    -       -       -       -      0/0     787/83     60
D2-1100Z  13/0    13/0      -       -     26/0     813/83     26
D2-1200Z  13/0    34/0      -       -     47/0     860/83  
D2-1300Z    -     27/0     8/0      -     35/0     895/83  
D2-1400Z    -     16/0    17/0      -     33/0     928/83  
D2-1500Z    -     28/0    11/0      -     39/0     967/83  
D2-1600Z  --+--   21/0     6/1     3/0    30/1     997/84  
D2-1700Z    -      2/0    17/0      -     19/0    1016/84     38
D2-1800Z    -       -     22/0    15/0    37/0    1053/84  
D2-1900Z    -       -     14/0     1/0    15/0    1068/84     30
D2-2000Z    -      2/0    33/0     4/0    39/0    1107/84     10
D2-2100Z    -      5/0    29/0      -     34/0    1141/84  
D2-2200Z    -     17/0    12/0      -     29/0    1170/84      4
D2-2300Z    -       -       -       -      0/0    1170/84     60
D3-0000Z   5/0    10/0     8/0    --+--   23/0    1193/84      3
D3-0100Z   8/0     5/0      -       -     13/0    1206/84     34
D3-0200Z  20/0    10/0      -       -     30/0    1236/84  

Total:   199/5   582/8   402/50   53/21