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contest calls

Subject: contest calls
From: ni6t@scruznet.com (Garry Shapiro)
Date: Fri Aug 30 22:48:21 1996
n2ic@drmail.dr.lucent.com wrote:
> 

> 
> The "India" (or "Italy") in my call just doesn't hack it.  Despite the
> advantage of call sign recognition, the "I" is frequently interepreted as
> "Tango".
> 
> 73,
> Steve
> November Two India Charlie port-a-bull Zero

Your experience does not jibe with mine. I think the more-effective 
phonetics have strong consonants. I find "Italy" to be much more 
effective than the much-softer "India," but cannot see the connectin to 
"Tango," which is also in my callsign. I also find "November" to be a 
problem, harder to solve. I alternate with "Norway."

One that drives me nuts occurs when I operate SSB mobile. Under 
weak-signal or QRM condx, "mobile" is almost invariably heard as 
"Romeo." Don't ask me why.

-- 
Garry Shapiro, NI6T
Editor, The DXer
newsletter of the Northern California DX Club

>From kn6dv@QNET.COM (Will, KN6DV)  Sat Aug 31 06:15:29 1996
From: kn6dv@QNET.COM (Will, KN6DV) (Will, KN6DV)
Subject: John Alexander, K6SVL  SK
Message-ID: <199608310518.WAA00795@guitar.qnet.com>

JOHN ALEXANDER  K6SVL 




     When the ties of friendship and camaraderie are abruptly severed,
faith and strength lighten the load of our pain.  Grief can be the greatest
of teachers, allowing us to have more compassion for our fellow man.  Death
rekindles in us the very essence and importance of life sometimes left
behind in our youth.

     We were lucky to have had John Alexander, K6SVL touch us and be part
of our lives.  his laughter and smile remain now as we bow our heads in
sorrow.  John will remain with us for many years to come in our thoughts
and words. 

     I am sure the family would appreciate knowing how much we miss their
loved one.  And take a moment today to reflect on what is important in your
life.  To say we were wronged by so-and-so or this person has more than I
do is trivial in loss's pain.  While we cannot quickly overcome the grief
we feel, perhaps we can learn to cherish our life a little more every day.

John, 73 from your friends at the SCCC

Willem A.Angenent
Vice President SCCC


>From ea1au@jet.es (EA1AU)  Sat Aug 31 10:39:28 1996
From: ea1au@jet.es (EA1AU) (EA1AU)
Subject: ICOM 775 DSP / TS 870 S
Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19960831093928.0072e010@jet.es>

        Hi there.

I'm thinking on IC 775 DSP for my contest activity. =BFCan you tell me your
experiences with it?

By the way, I have a friend is thinking to buy Kenwood TS 870 S =BFany=
 comment
out there?

Thank you in advance

73 Carlos

ea1au@jet.es


>From barry@w2up.wells.com (Barry Kutner)  Sat Aug 31 13:15:44 1996
From: barry@w2up.wells.com (Barry Kutner) (Barry Kutner)
Subject: 2nd station antennas
Message-ID: <XsViTD1w165w@w2up.wells.com>

Hi all - I hate to stray from talking about vanity calls, but...

I've been toying with the idea of adding a second station/receiver, and 
would appreciate some comments regarding antennas.
At present I have a single tower with slopers on 80, 2 el Cushcraft on 
40, and stacked TH7s. I want to keep it SIMPLE. No second tower. The 
obvious thought is a multiband vertical. Which one works best? Do the
ones that advertise no radials work? Any need for 80 meters for second 
station? How far away (practically speaking) should it be to minmize 
interactions?

Any other antennas to consider? (I have a flat lot with no big trees)

Please send comments to me, and I will summarize and repost. Tnx/Barry

--

Barry N. Kutner, W2UP       Internet: barry@w2up.wells.com
Newtown, PA                 Packet Radio: W2UP @ WB3JOE.#EPA.PA.USA.NA
                            Packet Cluster: W2UP >WB2R (FRC)
.......................................................................


>From trey@cisco.com (Trey Garlough)  Sat Aug 31 14:54:47 1996
From: trey@cisco.com (Trey Garlough) (Trey Garlough)
Subject: to choose or not to choose a vanity call
Message-ID: <199608311354.PAA02834@cprice-sun.cisco.com>

> I'm sure there are some advantages to having a short call for 
> contesting, but if that were a prime consideration please tell me how WN4KKN 
> ever became good at contesting.  (Actually Trey, you ought to be able to 
> shed some interesting light on this discussion.)

Here are a few observations:

My experience has shown that it's better to have a good signal than
a great callsign.  If I were torturing people with my callsign by 
doing lots of QRP operation, I'm sure I would have struggled more 
with the call WN4KKN.  This is simply a corrolary of the slogan 
emblazoned on N2AA's shirt:  LOUD IS GOOD.

Secondly, WN4KKN is quite good as a 2x3 style callsign, especially
considering it was assigned by our PTT at random (or at least in 
sequence after KKM and before KKO).  Furthermore as a 2x3 call I 
think it's far less confusing than TG0FRACAP and HG73DX and 
3DA0anything.

When the pick-your-call business happened in the 70's and the N#xx 
block were opened, I didn't have enough senority to get a "good"
call -- they were taken early.  I guess I lived in a too-populated 
call area.  Going for an AA4xx-call-of-my-choice didn't seem so 
great, nor did getting a "random" 2x1.  I did hear WS5H on a repeater 
in McAllen once, and was grateful for my decision.  I considering 
trying for a WN4x call as an answer to all those who asked when I was 
going to "get rid of the WN4 call."  :-)

Now Gate 2 is about to open, and I will be trying for a "good" 
callsign, but regreattably seniority isn't a factor this time, plus
club stations get to compete too!  Sigh.  It's not exactly right
to say I have "suffered" 22 years on the air with this call -- 
suffering all the questions about it would be more accurate.  :-)
I never had any other callsign, nor was I related to anyone that had 
a better one, so Gate 1 wasn't of much use to me.  However, I must 
admit that it's really cool to be hearing N5DX on the air again!

I am busy compiling my list of 25 choices (I hope it's enough!) and
hope to end up with something better than WN4KKN.  I admit that 
WN6KKN is not my first choice.  It'll be fun to get on the air this
fall and relearn everyone's new calls -- not quite as dramatic as
in '77, but still fun.

--Trey, x#xx

>From donovanf@sgate.com (Frank Donovan)  Sat Aug 31 15:14:51 1996
From: donovanf@sgate.com (Frank Donovan) (Frank Donovan)
Subject: WARNING! Re: Summary: Tower Help
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.95.960831100650.5014F-100000@jekyll.sgate.com>

I agree, tower regalvanizing is a good deal, and relatively inexpensive
compared to the cost of new tower.  The American Galvanizing Association
has an excellent WWW homepage that lists all of their member galvanizers
in the US and you can order a variety of excellent publications concerning
the galvanizing process including how to paint and maintain older
galvanized structures.

Many galvanizers can also galvanize small hardware such as
bolts and u-bolts!  Its lots cheaper to regalvanize old bolts and to
to galvanize inexpensive u-bolts than it is to purchase thousands of bolts
for 200 foot AB-105 towers or to purchase expensive hot-dip galvanized
u-bolts!

73!
Frank 
W3LPL
donovanf@sgate.com

On Sat, 31 Aug 1996, Rich L. Boyd wrote:
> 
> Someone made a comment on the cost of regalvanizing -- that it may cost 
> as much as a new section.  First, at $69.95 or so per section, Rohn 25, 
> new, is pretty inexpensive tower.  Still, a friend of mine had some 
> regalvanized and it cost about $8 per section, as I recall.  Not too bad, 
> and it came out great.  73
> 
> Rich Boyd KE3Q


>From 0006008716@mcimail.com (Doug Grant)  Sat Aug 31 15:47:00 1996
From: 0006008716@mcimail.com (Doug Grant) (Doug Grant)
Subject: Vanity COntest Calls
Message-ID: <84960831144748/0006008716DC4EM@MCIMAIL.COM>

IN the last few days, I've seen comments including:

"stay away from b,c,d,e,g,p,t,v,z", 

and 

"if K1DC or W1DC were available..."

and some stuff about "G" and "J" being mixed up on phone.

I have had ongoing (but manageable) problems on CW with people copying my
call as K1BG. Fortunately, Bruce and I went to High School together and were
neighbors, so he takes it well. THe tables were actually turned one year
when he went to VP2V ona vacation, and all the 40M JAs he worked copied
his call as VP2V/K1DG and I got all the bogus cards.

Less friendly was the interchange I had a few years ago with K1DJ. He sent 
me a bunch of bureau cards he got for certain dates in October and March for
QSOs he did not make. He finally figured out that they might have been for me.

They were, and I sent him a note to set his mind at ease (he was upset that
someone might have been bootlegging his callsign). In return, he sent me a
very nasty letter, insisting that I make an extra effort to make sure DX
statoins in contests get  my call right. I mean VERY NASTY.ean VERY NASTY.

Somehow DX stations also get K1 Alpha GOlf out of Delta GOlf. OR else they're
no sure if it's JOhn or me and just kind-of interpolate firguring they'll
get at lesat part of it right.

Doug  K1DG

p.s. Nope. Not gonna change it.

p.p.s. I read with interest all of WX3N (etc.)'s near-misses on the call he
wanted. THe only guy I know who hit it perfectly was AA1AA. Timing is
everything.


>From edwoods@pbsac01.isp.PacBell.COM (edwoods)  Sat Aug 31 16:44:00 1996
From: edwoods@pbsac01.isp.PacBell.COM (edwoods) (edwoods)
Subject: Calls
Message-ID: <9608311449.AA25033@gw3.pacbell.com>




I told Trey at WRTC that I was after NV6KKN.

Eric, NV6O (still, I better hurry with my stuff!)
edwoods@pacbell.com

>From wrt@eskimo.com (Bill Turner)  Sat Aug 31 17:44:34 1996
From: wrt@eskimo.com (Bill Turner) (Bill Turner)
Subject: contest calls
References: <9608300421.AA03210@golden.adams.net>
Message-ID: <32286b03.150396138@mail.eskimo.com>

Here's another thing to consider:  my phoenetics rarely get misunderstood, but
in the heat of a contest the letters sometimes get reversed.  LZP often comes
back to me as ZLP.  The latter does have a certain rhythm to it as well as
prefix recognition.  Just one more thing to worry about.   :-)

73, Bill W7LZP
wrt@eskimo.com

>From ae2t@localnet.com (Al Gritzmacher)  Sat Aug 31 21:39:18 1996
From: ae2t@localnet.com (Al Gritzmacher) (Al Gritzmacher)
Subject: contest calls
Message-ID: <199608312034.QAA24260@buffalo1.localnet.com>

Doug, K1DG wrote:

p.p.s. I read with interest all of WX3N (etc.)'s near-misses on the call he
wanted. THe only guy I know who hit it perfectly was AA1AA. Timing is
everything.

and Trey, WN4KKN wrote:

When the pick-your-call business happened in the 70's and the N#xx 
block were opened, I didn't have enough senority to get a "good"
call -- they were taken early.  I guess I lived in a too-populated 
call area.  Going for an AA4xx-call-of-my-choice didn't seem so 
great, nor did getting a "random" 2x1.  I did hear WS5H on a repeater 
in McAllen once, and was grateful for my decision.  I considering 
trying for a WN4x call as an answer to all those who asked when I was 
going to "get rid of the WN4 call."  :-)

I took my chances with the "Random" 2x1s way back. I was shooting for a
short CW call and didn't do too badly, AE2T. Having to accept the
2-district, this ended up nearly as short as I could get with only a couple
others shorter or as short. 

It was as Doug says all in the timing. Back then, license upgrading and
testing was still done at the FCC and the new licenses were slow in coming.
I spent a lot of time on the local repeaters asking people who showed up
with a new call when they took their test and how long it took to arrive. I
then timed when I took my test accordingly. Lady luck was still a large
part, but I was happy to get a big improvement from the old WB2x3 call.

Still, a call can be too short, as I've found since. The most aggravating
problem I have with people copying my call, both on CW and phone, is when
they have the call right, but won't believe it. They are looking for another
letter.

Another problem I get is being mistaken for a VE2. Many people seem to hear
what they want to hear, not what is really there.

I don't think there is any perfect call. At least I don't have to pay $30
for this one, I guess I won't be changing it.

- Al AE2T 
ae2t@localnet.com


>From harpole@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu (Charles H. Harpole)  Sat Aug 31 22:13:28 1996
From: harpole@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu (Charles H. Harpole) (Charles H. Harpole)
Subject: WARNING! Re: Summary: Tower Help
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.93.960831171250.3096B-100000@Pegasus>

What is you-all's luck with cold galvinizing spray paint???  de K4VUD


>From harpole@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu (Charles H. Harpole)  Sat Aug 31 22:21:09 1996
From: harpole@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu (Charles H. Harpole) (Charles H. Harpole)
Subject: contest calls
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.93.960831171803.3096D-100000@Pegasus>

Oh yes, and avoid calls with reversed letters that would normally be in
sequence in the alphabet, like U and V  (instead of V and U as in VUD).
Actually, the best contest call is the one that is being copied by a good
operator on the rcvr end.  de K4VUD


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