ARRL DX Phone 2000
Single Op / Single Band 40 meters (The "What was he thinking?" category)
W4MR (AA4NC operator)
552 QSOs / 94 Countries = 155,664 (18 hours)
I had limited time this weekend, and decided to do 40m/single band. If K1EA
or N6TR ever write simulation software for 40m phone contests, it will
require rigging a big hammer to knock you in the head about every 3 minutes!
The first hour was actually fun. It's in this hour when you work almost every
station you will hear during the contest (over & over & over). For the rest
of the time, I caught up on reading, caffeine, boogeying to the latest Top
40 tunes from Radio Karachi and jotting down these observations from far left
field. Oh yeah - I pushed the voice keyer button a couple times too...
1. When frequency allocations for 40 meters were decided, drugs and alcohol
were definitely involved. I sometimes supect a lost poker game may have
played a part as well.
2. The proper procedure is: Tune for maximum AMPLIFIER smoke, not the SPEECH
PROCESSOR.
3. Why is every station who gives 59300 at least 10 dB louder than Radio
Moscow?
4. Why don't radio manufacturers put a USA OUT OF BAND YOU IDIOT button next
to the 40m band switch? This would disable the transmitter below 7.150,
eliminating the the (Homer Simpson at the mic) DOH!!! sound when you realize
you are transmitting where W's fear to tread - usually on top of IR4T (see
#3).
5. The Contest Advisory Committee should borrow a rule from college
basketball playoffs - league champions get a bye (bypass). All DX stations
can claim credit for working W3LPL, KC1XX, K3LR, N2RM, etc. without having to
actually work them. This would free up valuable frequencies for mere mortal
type stations, without changing the results of the contest. The M/M standings
would actually be decided in Dayton as a ladies alternative activity - A "Hot
Buns" contest for the operators at a strip club!
6. Things that make you go hmmmm: How come the words "QRP", or "MOBILE"
always comes through loud and clear while the noise obliterates the callsign
and report?
If you ask for a fill, they will repeat the only part of the exchange that
you ALREADY COPIED over and over.
7. Courteous operator's hint: When the DX station says "QRZ the Alpha Alpha
Four", W8** should immediately dump it in. After all, English isn't his
native tongue.
9. Definition: skew path
Meaning: "The accuracy of my rotator is really crappy"
Commonly used by: TIC ring owners
10. Definition: 59200
Meaning: "I love the Radio Moscow surplus sales"
Commonly used by: Really crappy wattmeter owners
(see #3)
11. Where have all the JAs been hiding that have suddenly come out of the
woodwork? (Hooray for this one....)
73,
Will
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