KE3Q LOOKS TO REPEAT AGAIN AS NOVEMBER SWEEPSTAKES CHAMP

By Jamie Dupree NS3T, radio-sport.net 

With CQ WW DX now over, US and Canadian operators return to the bands this weekend for the 74th November Sweepstakes CW Contest, an event that's been dominated by one call for eight straight years.

"This will be my tenth year at WP3R," says Rich Boyd KE3Q, who remains the Sweepstakes favorite from Puerto Rico in 2007. "As of now, "WP3R" has officially won SS CW eight years in a row and SS Phone nine years in a row."

"What keeps me going back year after year is will power and the feeling of personal accomplishment," says Boyd.

"I enjoy the fast operating and the challenge of overcoming adversity one kind or another."

In recent years, the adversity has been a loss of electricity at the WP3R station, both right before and during Sweepstakes.

"Last year I lost two and a half hours of the first few hours of SS phone to a power outage," said Boyd. "A few years ago there was a brownout from Friday night until about noon on Saturday that had my contest plans in jeopardy."

Along with Boyd, other defending champions include Randy Martin K0EU, who won the competitive low power category in 2006. The QRP section should be wide open this year, as Mark Obermann AG9A is not expected to enter that category again in 2007.

"That was a one time shot," according to Obermann, who told radio-sport.net it was intended "to keep things interesting for me and to see if there was anything I could learn by doing it."

Meanwhile, the Unlimited category has a streak of its own going, as Dave Hachadorian K6LL has won that five straight years.

The low power "A" category continues to be the most competitive in terms of raw log numbers. Back for another try there this year will be Matt Trott K7BG, who came in second to K0EU in 2006.

The Montana ham says his Sweepstakes strategy is quite simple.

"Find the best band to run on for the first six or eight hours and then milk all the other bands for Q's when things slow down," says Trott.

"Twenty (meters) is usually the money band from the West Coast at least during the cycle bottom," says Trott. "I think 15 is going to be tough from here, but it may surprise!"

In 2006, Trott pushed his way into second place in low power by making 1220 contacts.

Boyd KE3Q meanwhile was racking up over 1500. Even though he knows the bands well from WP3R, he's been studying up to make sure he's ready to extend his eight year CW win streak.

"I study and follow my previous year's rate sheets and band changes, adjusting as appropriate," says Boyd. "There's a lot of "focus" involved, intense thinking. That intensity is a key."

Certainly there are a number of hams who hope to finally knock him off his contest pedastal this year. To keep them guessing, Boyd even floated the idea of trying something other than high power.

"I do plan to try other categories," said Boyd. "Maybe even this year."

"I won't absolutely make that decision until just before 21z on SS CW Saturday."