11/08/2005 | W8CAR Finally a sweep after several years without one. The contest started for me with slow rates and noisy bands as T-storms were to my west and the wind was howling at 30-40 mph outside the Ohio shack window. AT about 1 am local I almost bagged it but hung in to my usual break time of 3 am.
On Sunday morning I woke to T-storm flashes outside so got another hour of unplanned break to sleep. Finally got on about 8 am and the bands sounded good. I got good rates and found my zone so thought I had a chance for the sweep. My last four needed sections were ND, WTX (go figure) NWT and PAC. ND called in on my cqing and finally got WTX in the log. It was Sunday evening near dusk when I gave 15 one last listen and found VY1JA working someone and had him in the log 2 Qs later. Then I found a KH6 that I had heard S and Ping on the band earlier calling cq and the sweep was complete. This was only my second sweep in over 40 years of SS experience. Guess I should order a mug!!!!!

Lots of good ops and always fun to work W1AW during the test!

Now to see if the log holds up to win the Great Lakes low power again this year. -- W8CAR