N2IC Keeps Lead In Bid For Second Straight SS CW Win; K6LL Win Streak Finally Ends In Unlimited With N6RO In Lead

By Jamie Dupree NS3T  radio-sport.net 
Posted November 11, 2008

After watching the scores of his top competitors roll in over the last week, Steve London N2IC is in good shape as he tries to successfully defend his High Power title in the 2008 ARRL November Sweepstakes CW Contest.

London's 1,560 contacts have held up so far, giving him the top score of 249,600 points.

It's a good thing that N2IC added 56 QSO's to his claimed score of 2007, as just 26 contacts behind is Alex Avramov LZ4AX, who left the comfort of his Penn State studies for a quick trip to Puerto Rico at WP3R.

"This summer I pulled 2 quick stunts flying off to Bulgaria to do a couple of contests," said Avramov. "So I thought going to PR should be a breeze compared to that."

He didn't plan though on badly twisting his ankle just days before his trip, but he gutted it out with crutches and a cast on his foot.

"The setup went rather smooth, although I had to throw the crutches away and jump around on one foot."

Log checks will certainly decide the order of finish again this year in the "B" category, as just one QSO behind WP3R is last year's second place finisher Ralph Bowen N5RZ.

"Gator" again operated K5TR to a solid score. He has a 12 QSO advantage on AG9A, who took N0NI to fourth place in claimed scores. Those four were the only ones to finish with more than 1500 raw contacts.

Rounding out the top five right now is Stan Stockton K5GO.

"When I used to work the Sweepstakes every year, the goal was to make the Top Ten," said Stockton. "It feels good to know that I may still be able to do it 20 years later."

"I think N2IC won again," said Larry Tyree N6TR, who is currently in 7th place.

Over in the Unlimited category, the seven year winning streak of Dave Hachadorian K6LL seems to be over, with Ken Keeler N6RO leading that category by over 5,000 points.

"This was CW SS #55 for me," wrote Keeler on his 3830, as he has only missed one SS CW since 1953.

"Did my usual "stay up all night' routine, operating in spurts, especially through the eastern sunrise period. Got one hour of sleep, and paid for it on Sunday afternoon," Keeler reported.

For now though, the effort seems worth it, as Keeler leads Mike Heideman N7MH by 36 QSO's.

Hachadorian K6LL had won every Unlimited CW battle since 2002, but he fell 52 QSO's short of N6RO this year, behind by over 8,000 points overall.

While K6LL might not be winning again in 2008, there could be a repeat again in the low power category, as the leader is two-time defending champ Randy Martin K0EU.

Martin tapped out 1209 contacts for 193,440 points. In second is the 2007 QRP winner Tor Clay N4OGW, with 188,768 points.

Matt Trott K7BG is in third, after wrangling 186,420 points from Montana.

"Lot's of close competition," Martin told radio-sport.net.

"I think this was my best score so far in class A," said Clay N4OGW. "Usually K0EU beats me, looks like this time just barely."

Both N4OGW and K7BG fell short of the 80 section sweep, which definitely cost them points in the low power battle. Even if they had all 80, they were 13 and 14 QSO's short of K0EU.