From: NAME: Andy Burns
FUNC: Research and Development
TEL: 0324 493981 <BURNS,AL@A1@GRRD04>
To: "cq-contest@tgv.com"@rcwi01@mrgate@grrd04
de GM0ECO, Will the Shetlands be on for this weekend's contest? -
Probably not! In the interests of putting out a reasonable signal I won't
be making the trip north. Give me a call anyway.
This is the contest where you pass QTC's to us Europeans at 200 wpm (I
can't even write that fast let alone type it!). Must make a note to find
a pencil. How come WE made the rules this way round?
Just on a point of interest, Scotland has just been dragged screaming
into the high tech age! Last weekend saw the first 'real' operation of
the local packet cluster linked into not only EI and England but also
Western Europe. For six months this year John, GM0OPS has struggled to
get the cluster going (based in Glasgow) - 250 miles to the north of the
nearest cluster in England. This was the only one in Scotland and had on
average 2 people conected with 2 dx spots per day (if you were lucky).
This compares (badly) with what I remember of the cluster in 1988 while I
was in Houston,Tx.
Over the past few weeks, John has solidified a link into the EI system
and then across into England. For 6 hours or so during region 1 Field day
SSB, we were getting spots from Europe. So, providing all is running well
this weekend, the packet will be a big help in WAE (all classes allow
packet).
So for those of you who have taken packet for granted these last few
years, think of us poor relations living in (backward) countries (there
aren't any other Scotts on the internet, are there? - I'm not a local!).
I'll be all band but will spend effort on 80M to try out a new antenna.
Any real signal reports for 80 will be appreciated - or let me know via
internet.
Andy
GM0ECO
burns_al@grrd04.dnet.bp.com
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