It is said that no good deed goes unpunished. Apparantly the same is true
of someone trying to enjoy a chuckle with friends.
Based on the number of direct emails I've gotten on this post, I feel it is
neccesary to point out two things:
(1) I am not picking on the Italians as a whole. Comments made on this
reflector about I power levels in the recent past notwithstanding.
(2) I have not forgotten or ignored other unusually hefty amps marketed to
amateurs (the US built Henry 8K being the most frequently mentioned item)
regardless of the point of origin.
I was simply amused that someone would actually have the chutzpah to hand
out flyer promoting a 7 kW output amplifier in the same manner in which the
local pizza shop hands out $1 off coupons. Period. Mention of the country
of origin of the amplifier was incidental and would not have mattered
regardless of said country of origin. And any humor was directed at the
manufacturers of amp, not the entire amateur population of that country as a
whole.
I have also come to the conclusions that some people have chips on their
shoulder and take offense needlessly (though I now wonder if this hit a
little too close to home for a few of those); and as Ray Owens often points
out over on the "Joke A Day" web site, if you're willing to enjoy a good
joke, you must also be prepared when it's your turn in the barrel -- which
many people seem unwilling to do.
Sheesh.
73, ron wn3vaw
"You are a fluke of the Universe
You have no right to be here
And whether you can hear it or not,
The Universe is laughing behind your back"
-- National Lampoon's Deteriorata
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Notarius WN3VAW" <wn3vaw@fyi.net>
To: "CQ Contest" <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Subject: [CQ-Contest] So much for the "California Kilowatt"?
Just got back from Hamvention, and I just had to share this one:
But first, a trick question: What's the legal maximum output power in Italy
at present? (It's a rhetorical question, you don't have to answer it right
now)
Friday afternoon, I was sitting in the Ice Arena behind AES talking to
another DX'er/Contester when a gentleman came up to us passing out flyers.
The flyers were advertising an HF amplifier built in Italy by an Italian ham
(I am deliberately not mentioning calls or such, incidently). The amp is
claimed to be built by someone with "decades of experience" with commercial,
military, and amateur amplifiers.
But let's cut to the chase:
Output power: For 100 Watts drive, 3.5 kW Out. Or if you prefer to run
QRO, for 400 Watts drive, 7 kW Out. (OK, in all fairness, it does say the
ham version is "1.5 kW (limited)" but still...)
I guess all of us who've been concerned about "California Kilowatts" over
the years now know where they come from!
73, ron wn3vaw
"You are a fluke of the Universe
You have no right to be here
And whether you can hear it or not,
The Universe is laughing behind your back"
-- National Lampoon's Deteriorata
|