The then new 1970 Field Day rule eliminated the use of electrical or
mechanical devices that allowed multiple fully equipped and fully manned
stations to operate in a smaller transmitter category by making it impossible
to transmit more than one signal simultaneously. This technique had been
adopted in the 1960s by at least one Field Day competitor, the
Connecticut Wireless Association W1TX/1 in the 2A Category.
See the Jeeves cartoon on page 74 of November 1965 QST.
http://p1k.arrl.org/pubs_archive/53793
The typical 21st century applications of octopus techniques prevents two
simultaneous transmitted signals in SO2R stations and prevents two
simultaneous transmitted signals on the same band in multi-operator stations.
This is a good opportunity to resurrect a twenty year old thread on this topic,
immediately below my signature
73
Frank
W3LPL
> From Dr. Eugene Zimmerman" <ezimmerm@DGS.dgsys.com Mon Aug 14 04:26:03 1995
> Subject: return of the Octopus! Fwd: CW Radio-2 Lockout?
Hi Jim
You have that story correct.
W1TX did use a mechanical octopus to prevent more than one transmitter
from transmitting at a time. It was built by John Doremus
W2ADE/W2TA/W0AW and was a fearsome looking thing with a huge aluminum box
in the middle loaded with relays and a large number of tentacles
radiating outward from the box. Sort of like a modern day Wouff Hong.
Unfortunately I do not remember what was in the box. And John is no
longer with us. You might try Roger Corey W1AX/JYH, Gary Foskett W1ECH or
Pet Chamalian W1RM/BGD - they might remember.
I adopted the operating technique you mention as a defense measure. All
of the operating at W1TX was search and pounce using the octopus to keep
you honest. My partner that year on the other end of the octopus was
Dave Sumner K1ZZ. We sat across from one another and looked at the other
guy for most of the contest. The most efficient way to operate was to
find a station to work and then press down the transmit button and gobble
like a turkey until the other guy was finished transmitting.
Little did I realize how useful that technique would be in meteor scatter
contacts where the scheduled contacts sound very much like a bunch of
turkeys or at best a used car auctioneer.
73 Gene W3ZZ
On Sun, 13 Aug 1995, James White wrote:
> ...........once again ham radio cycles through it's history. > > in the
> sixties (& early 70's I think) there was a killer device called the > octopus
> which would prevent two rigs simultanesously x-mitting. It was honed > by
> some of this reflector's readers. Those being the Sweepstakes' dynamic >
> multi-single duo WA5LES/K5PFL (nowadays known as K5RC and K5NA)....the >
> interlock would keep one from going from m-s to m-m by avoiding simultaneous
> > xmitting (hmmmm - sound familiar to any refelctor readers????) > > I
> understand that K5NA is moving back to TX with KU2Q, so dunno if he is up >
> and running on the reflector....and I think K5RC secretly monitors these >
> posts..... > > If one of them would care to elucidate on their ole 'pus it
> would serve to > answer todays needs of the single op two radio gang - myself
> included.... > after last weekend and my fingers constanly going for the ESC
> key to kill > x-mitting I suspect these guys could help us keep from
> re-inventing the > wheel. > > > The octopus was outlawed back then, but among
> other things it generated some > interesting contest-lore....I once heard
> tale of an operation by the > Connecticut Wireless Association one Field Day
> where one of the operators > was, Mr Voice on your CQ Loop, K1ANV (W3ZZ)... >
> > Gene was one of the 'phone ops (of course) and he would try and "capture" >
> the octopus, and the opportunity to be the next to xmit, by saying over and >
> over and over: > > doubleyou doubleyou doubleyou doubleyou
> doubleyou.......... > (and then when the relay would close) > One Tango X-ray
> portable one. (W1TX/1) > > ....although it was before my time I can just
> imagine Gene rolling the > doubleyous... > > Before we reinvent the wheel
> lets hear from of the ocopusses former users! > > Jim, zx k1zx@mcimail.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "K5WA" <K5WA@Comcast.net>
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Cc: donovanf@starpower.net
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 9:12:45 PM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Field Day SO2R
Frank,
It is very interesting that you didn’t have any issues with the meat of my
statement to Jim which is that the rule is idiotic in that it stifles
innovation and is badly written. You even give tacit support to my theory that
this rule was initiated to target a VERY small (about 1) participant pool by
bringing in your citation to support my argument. The actual year it was
implemented is irrelevant if my theory is correct for its reason of being
instituted. I actually went and looked at the 1970 rules and they are different
(slightly) than the currently published rules in regard to simultaneous
transmission. There is no simultaneous transmission in SO2R (which is what Jim
was asking) as you well know so if this rule should continue, it needs to be
worded better. In the meantime, my advice to Jim (go 2A) was sound based on the
spirit of the rule even though the rule is flawed.
FD isn’t a contest anyway. ;-)
73,
Bob
From: donovanf@starpower.net [mailto:donovanf@starpower.net]
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 1:51 PM
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Cc: K5WA
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Field Day SO2R
"A couple of years ago, someone put an idiotic rule into FD which says no
"octopus" can be used at FD"
A little fact checking is in order...
That rule has been in place for at least forty five years! See the rules for
the
1970 Field Day. The rule was put in place because of the use of octupuses
by at least one entrant in the 1A category.
http://www.arrl.org/arrl-periodicals-archive-search
73
Frank
W3LPL
_____
From: "K5WA" <K5WA@Comcast.net>
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 3:21:25 PM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Field Day SO2R
Jim,
A couple of years ago, someone put an idiotic rule into FD which says no
"octopus" can be used at FD. This had to be a politically motivated rule
which kills some aspects of innovation at FD (which is an event FOR
innovation at multiple levels) and was probably targeted at one cross-town
rival of the rule writer. So, if you follow that vaguely written, poorly
worded "rule" for this non-contest, you would have to go 2A to comply. Now,
if you just happen to have a fast antenna switch that doesn't say "Octopus"
or "Simulcaster" on the side of it, then SO2R your little self away. ;-)
Line 4 in the ARRL FD rules.
The use of switching systems that allow for lockouts in order to use
multiple transmitters (i.e., an "octopus") in an attempt to enter a
lower-number-of-transmitters class are prohibited (i.e. using 2 transmitters
that can transmit simultaneously, with two operators, and a lock-out system
and entering class 1A). The use of simulcasting devices which allow a single
operator to key and transmit on more than one transmitter at a time, is
prohibited.
Have fun at FD. We'll see you as K5TU this year if the Texas floods and 105
degree heat doesn't get us.
Bob K5WA
Message: 10
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2015 16:06:36 -0700
From: Jim Brown <k9yc@audiosystemsgroup.com>
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Field Day SO2R
Message-ID: <557F5A7C.80502@audiosystemsgroup.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
A small group of us have been doing FD QRP 1A Battery for several years, and
I've recently considered doing it SO2R. The question is, does SO2R put me in
1A or 2A if there's only a single operator and software insures that one one
radio can transmit at the same time?
73, Jim K9YC
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