As I sat combing my assigned band for mults I came across a rather
humorous situation involving the infamous "last two". A semi-rare DX
station was besigned by CONTEST and DX junkies. Feeling a bit
overwhelmed, he was going by the "last two". I'll pick it up from here
with direct quotes:
DX: "QRZ CONTEST DX1BIG, last two letters"
US: "Uniform Uniform"
DX: "Uniform Uniform you're 5-9 oh seven"
("UU" was actually a two by one US call ending in "U")
US: "Whiskey Kilo Zero Uniform, You're 5-9 oh four"
(Not the real call)
DX: "Whisky Kilo Zero Uniform Uniform 5-9 oh seven"
US: "No, no! Only one Uniform" (gives call again)
DX: "Whisky Kilo Zero Uniform Uniform 5-9 oh seven"
US: "NO, NO!! Only one Uniform. You asked for the last two and
since I only have one letter I decided to double up to crack
the pileup!"
I split a gut laughing and inadvertently emitted my approval of
the contest chili in the shack. (Blended well with the smell of BO
and hot amplifiers in the stale air!) Guess this goes to show that
"last two" doesn't always work as advertised. My reaction
accurately summarizes my feelings on "last two", unless it's the
last two 807's I drink before I pass out...
73 de Fubar
Canine Victor Victor (Last two real letters actually the same...)
>From George Cook <george@epix.net> Tue Oct 31 04:45:10 1995
From: George Cook <george@epix.net> (George Cook)
Subject: Wifes, Kids and other accesories
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951030234211.28998A-100000@plum.epix.net>
In regards to the recent thread on this I dusted off an article that I
wrote for my monthly coulumn in our local club newsletter. I hope you
enjoy it and by all means show it to you wife. Permission hereby granted
to republish this in a club newsletter so long as you mail me a copy of
it to my CBA.
GC
Gender Specific
Those Xceptional Young Ladies
I am sure that what I am about to say, is so completely politically
incorrect
that it will draw almost instant criticism form several nationally based
women's groups not the least of which the YLRL but here goes:
Most Hams are men.
I am not exactly sure of why this is a fact but it is. I think that
it is because a Yeasu looks ridiculous with a lace dust ruffle around it,
or
perhaps because AES doesn't have February white sales. Regardless of all
that most hams are men. But that doesn't mean that the girls aren't
involved in this hobby. Far from the case.
Your wife, girlfriend, mom are one of the most important opperating
accessories
in your shack. Firstly I never knew a Ham that was not by nature a mess
cat and a pack rat. (an interesting conglomeration of species!) And
were
it not for those special ever patient ladies you would be most certainly
drowned in a sea of wire scraps and old electronic parts. They have a
way of
tolerating to a point or eccentricities without allowing us to go over
the
line into self destruction.
It takes a special breed to cohabitate with an amateur radio operator.
And
most just don't cut the salami. They are constantly being awakened at 3
am to
go to Hamfests or being beleaguered with your less than exciting tales of
how you just worked lower slobovia on 160 meters into a loaded bed
spring.
And woe be it to her who is married to an HF contester! Just what most
women are looking forward to a house full of unshaven screaming maniacs
that SHE is supposed to cook for.
The point of all this is that our girls are blessed with a level of
tolerance
and patience that rivals that of Mother Theresa. In fact I think we
probably could wig her out given enough time. See I just don't see old
M.T.
out in the yard helping with that latest antenna project, holding onto a
nylon guy rope with the instructions "If it starts to fall that way let
it go and if it should fall your way run like hell!". I have however
seen
my wife do that, I just kind of wish that she would have ran a little
quicker, maybe she wouldn't have gotten hit with the darn thing.
Which brings me to the charming N3SWA and all of the other duly licensed
Yls on the air. What charm grace and poise they bring to our other wise
technoid locker room. In any given pileup you know that they will be
picked
out first. If only to bring a few moments of silky grace to our ears.
Team N3OWG put Bonnie in charge of the VHF station during the PA QSO
party
and know what? She generated nearly 12,000 points on her own!
Check the scores fellows did you do as well? Guess it shows we are not
the
sole owners of tenacity and drive after all.
Actually having your girl get her license is a double edged sword. On
the good side they gain an understanding of that undecipherable gibberish
you speak and can now nod there head knowingly as you bore them.
On the downside you will not be able to fool them into believing that
you bought that 2 year old TS950 for $75. At the very least if they say
that they believe you expect to be hit with the line "great then you can
afford to get me than cute little HT I've been wanting" (these girls are
NOT stupid!) And there is that little matter of the congestion in front
of the rig in the evening, which is a double whammy if you have only
one bathroom also. (this is something to which I am an acknowledged
expert since the male to female ratio in my house is 1.3:6 and we HAVE
only one bathroom)
All in all I would have to say a hearty hats off to the girls of Amateur
radio! We couldn't do it with out your love, support and above all
patience.
For this we give your our sincere respect and in some cases condolences.
You are a special bread of lady and yours is high in the rank of heaven.
Oh yeah and I was looking at this new FT1000 in the catalogue and I was
thinking................................ de AA3JU
*************************************************
* George Cook AA3JU Bangor, PA FN21 *
* george@peach.epix.net AA3JU@N3IQD.EPA.USA.NA *
* If you're not FRC remember:............... *
* .......There's no shame in being 2nd best! *
*************************************************
>From Jack Fleming <oolon@eskimo.com> Tue Oct 31 05:41:05 1995
From: Jack Fleming <oolon@eskimo.com> (Jack Fleming)
Subject: Last two letters...
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951030213603.21441A-100000@eskimo.com>
On Mon, 30 Oct 1995, Randy Thompson wrote:
> People seem to be insistent on using just the last two letters when they
> call. This is now part of the culture. (It's actually not bad at times,
> although never as good as giving the whole call.)
Makes me want to barf...
>
> But, we need to have a convention as to which two letters they are
> giving. It should always be the last two letters of the call.
Well.... On the incredibly rare few occasions when I want to catch a
station's attention with a quick call (rather than unraveling the
entire W A 0 R J Y monster...) I always use "Romeo Juliet". It seems to
be more "natural" than Juliet Yankee - Romeo and Juliet just seem like
they were meant to go together.
>
> I hate those guys who give the middle letters, since I have to do so many
> keyboard gymnastics. Type two letters. Press home key. Type first part
> of call. Arrow right twice. Then type last letter. Ugh! Not to
> mention how much more work it is to build the call using super check
> partial this way.
Sorry.
>
> When I say last two letters, I mean it!
Never, ever say "last two letters" and your problem is solved. And
always come back to a complete call even if the two letters are stronger.
>
> Randy Thompson, K5ZD
> k5zd@iconics.com
>
>
***************************************************************
Jack Fleming, WA0RJY ex-CN2JF ex-CT1/WA0RJY oolon@eskimo.com
Seattle, WA http://www.eskimo.com/~oolon/ DON'T PANIC!
***************************************************************
>From Steve Merchant <merchant@crl.com> Tue Oct 31 05:55:16 1995
From: Steve Merchant <merchant@crl.com> (Steve Merchant)
Subject: Reports on FT1000mp and IC-775dsp??
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951030215349.23403B-100000@crl.crl.com>
Yes, and what about the TS870? In casual operation it made the other two
seem pretty tame. How did it do in combat? Thanks!
73, Steve N4TQO
merchant@crl.com
On Mon, 30 Oct 1995 ki3v@connectus.com wrote:
>
>
> Wonder how the new FT-1000mp and the IC-775dsp rigs worked this
> weekend??? Problems....Comments...??
>
>
> Thanks ! Rich KI3V/7 Nevada
>
>
> CU in SS!!
>
> **********************************************************
> Richard Hallman ki3v@connectus.com
> 11870 Heartpine St
> Reno Nv 89506 ki3v@w7ta.#nonev.nv
> **********************************************************
>
>
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