North American QSO Party, SSB - January
Call: K4EET
Operator(s): K4EET
Station: K4EET
Class: Single Op LP
QTH: MDC
Operating Time (hrs): 4.5
Summary:
Band QSOs Mults
-------------------
160:
80:
40:
20:
15:
10:
-------------------
Total: 86 51 Total Score = 4,386
Club: Potomac Valley Radio Club
Team:
Comments:
SOAPBOX: In late October 2013, I had two major strokes affecting my left side.
Both strokes were exactly one week apart and both affected the same side of my
body. I was hospitalized for a combined total of five weeks. In early January
2014, I had three more mini-strokes. As of mid-January 2014, I am still
undergoing at-home therapy and nursing care in an attempt to regain what I have
lost. All of these recent medical incidents further complicated the fact that I
was already afflicted with a terminal illness called MELAS (see
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/946864-overview) and uncontrolled
diabetes; which when combined have basically caused me to be a quadriplegic in
a wheelchair coupled with failing hearing and eyesight. All of my muscles are
slowly wasting away such that I will eventually need to be placed on a
ventilator. Unfortunately, once the heart muscles become too weak; well, you
know... Despite all of these complications, I ***knew*** that NAQP-SSB would be
***GREAT*** therapy for me! NAQP-SSB would require a LOT of things that have
been diminished over the years by my setbacks. NAQP-SSB would stimulate my
mind, NAQP-SSB would require close listening to hear the callsigns and
exchanges, NAQP-SSB would require strained vision to see my computer-based
logbook, etc. Yes, I knew that NAQP-SSB would be a great challenge for me but
that mainly NAQP-SSB would be ***GREAT*** therapy for me! The saddest part of
an otherwise great experience during the January 2014 NAQP-SSB, were some of
the “running” stations that became annoyed with my disabilities (although
unknown to them) that messed up their rhythm of Qs. Some were even belligerent
to me and had zero patience with me. I never mentioned my disabilities but to
anybody reading this soapbox, I would highly recommend that you be patient with
ANY station that is having an extra degree of difficulty getting the callsign
and exchanges correct. While QRM, QRN, and/or QSB can slow down things, add on
a disability like I have, things can slow down to a crawl; perhaps by a factor
of three or more. You ***never*** know what challenges the other station
operator might be facing. Trust me on this, all of us People with Disabilities
(PWD) understand the need to make as many Qs as possible to achieve the coveted
awards that the best Able Bodied (AB) hams can receive. BUT, us PWDs will most
likely NEVER achieve those awards in the High-Stakes Contests like NAQP-SSB and
other highly competitive contests that attract the best-of-the-best to be the
best. But please, ***please*** do not ***ruin*** an otherwise exciting
experience for us PWDs. After all, is it better to ensure that everyone enjoy
participating in Amateur Radio Contests or is it better to be disrespectful to
those that can only move at a snail’s pace just so that YOU ***might*** win
that coveted award? I would hope that you would choose to ensure enjoyment by
all contest participants. Thanks for reading this soapbox (if you got this far
- Hi, hi!). Yes, it is rather long but I felt that it needed to be said. My
best to all January 2014 NAQP-SSB participants! I hope to work you in future
contests as well. If you are a ham that avoids contests because of some of the
things that I mentioned above, let me say that ***fortunately*** the number of
belligerent contest operators is small so please join us in the next contest
and get your feet wet. I assure you that I am much slower than you would be as
a first-time contester. I can promise you that! Finally, to all, 73 es hope to
“meet” you on the ham-bands one day. Amateur Radio is my Window to the
Whole World (WWW) being the shut-in that I am due to a diminished immune
system. I am sooooooo glad that I got into this hobby during my senior year of
high school (1974). I never knew that it would become such an ***important***
and ***major*** part of my life at only 57 years old! Without other hams to
talk to on HF, UHF and VHF in the various modes of operation, I would be an
****extremely*** lonely person. As it is now, Amateur Radio actually makes me
want to live as long as is possible. Besides, since 1974, I ***still*** have
not worked an Alaskan station for WAS! And there are a LOT more countries out
there that I need to add to my logbook. Yes, Virginia, there is sooooooo much
yet to do in the world of Amateur Radio! 73 es gud DX to all, Dave K4EET
Posted using 3830 Score Submittal Forms at: http://www.3830scores.com/
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