Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 14:43:13 -0500
Using multiple callsigns from the same contest station during a contest is against the contest rules. Specifically: ARRL General Rules: 3.3. An operator may not use more than one call sign from any g
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 12:25:05 -0500
Why are we talking about repeaters on a VHF _contesting_ list? -- -- Kenneth E. Harker "Vox Clamantis in Deserto" kharker@cs.utexas.edu University of Texas at Austin Amateur Radio Callsign: WM5R Depa
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 09:49:51 -0500
I have no idea about good rover locations in these grids, but the EM01, EM02, and EM03 grids are usually difficult to work in VHF contests from the Austin/San Antonio area. EL28 has no great rover lo
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2003 21:48:34 -0600
Very intersting. There seems to be a telephone next to every keyboard at the N2WK multi. Even the stations set up in trailers in the yard have telephones. I'm sure those phones weren't actually used
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 08:26:55 -0600
Ah, I guess intercoms would make sense - although in the many multiops I've done, I've never seen intercoms used like that. Perhaps, but you never see them right next to the keyboard and radios durin
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 10:02:55 -0600
The definitive web site for this contest is the ARRL Contest Calendar: http://www.arrl.org/contests/calendar.html?year=2004 Most contests have some sort of formula to determine their date (i.e. "the
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 10:02:09 -0600
This formula is FAR more complicated than using an RF output threshold for categories. Nobody is going to adopt this. And why would you want people to limit (of all things) their antennas? Putting up
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 10:15:34 -0600
So, how is this a fundamentally different principle than making sure that your contest operation is well-tuned for the power output that you have? Or that the contest operation is well-tuned for the
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 13:38:11 -0600
I think this can only be said about a very small region of the country. In very large regions of the country, 903 and up activity has never been a significant part of VHF contesting - in fact, if any
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 14:24:30 -0600
I think there are a lot of ops out there that, when considering how they will be only a "speck in the results as M/M" would just decide to heck with it, and not operate the contest. With a M/L catego
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 14:40:19 -0600
These are the contests that the ARRL sponsors on VHF+: January VHF Sweepstakes June VHF QSO Party ARRL UHF Contest September VHF QSO Party ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest (two weekends) So, two contests o
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 17:51:56 -0600
Having just operated the ARRL 10 Meter Contest this weekend, I think one of the big contest sponsors (ARRL, CQ, or maybe NCJ) should sponsor a similar Six Meter Contest. Six Meters is a great band, a
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 22:35:07 -0600
You are not going to get everyone who shows an interest in VHF operating to buy microwave gear. It's expensive, it takes a lot of time and effort to build a station, and a lot of time and effort to l
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 10:02:22 -0600
The June VHF Contest, though, is not a single-band contest. Entering six meters only in that contest would be much like entering the 10M single band category in CQWW or the ARRL DX Contest - it's a f
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 12:02:44 -0600
In HF contests, there far more opportunities for less capable stations to feel like they are playing for something. There are HP, LP, and QRP categories. There are single-band categories. Some contes
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 18:31:39 -0600
There are all sorts of ARRL supported activities that do not encourage the use of microwave bands. On the other hand, the fact that the 10 GHz and Up Cumulative Contest and the ARRL UHF Contest still
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 07:43:22 -0600
There are really only three options nowadays for new 222 MHz transverters: DEMI, SSB Electronics, and Elecraft (http://www.elecraft.com/) The Elecraft transverters look really promising, but they are
Author: "Kenneth E. Harker" <kharker@cs.utexas.edu>
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 07:59:50 -0600
That is the crux of the debate. Allow me to summarize: Ev's position: We should occupy spectrum through radiosport for the sake of occupying spectrum. My position: We should occupy spectrum through r