>>> So why have the big contest clubs never "done" Field Day?
<<<
I additon to the PVRC FD efforts, YCCC and the now defunct "WIN" groups got
together back in the late 70's and did several big FD operations using W2RQ's
call. I believe several FRC members participated in these as well.
Some callsigns of operators in these efforts:
N2NT, W2RQ, WA2SRQ, W2SQ, K2BMI, W2REH, W2AZO, WB1GQR, W2YV, K2OY, W2YX,
K2TR, K1ZM, K2SS, K1DG, K1AR, KQ2M, K2SX, K1EB, W2GD, K2EK, K1XM, K3UA, AJ1I,
N2IC, N1EE, K1DH, et al. (anyone I missed ?)
The first was to set the FD point record - which we did in 5A. The second
was to beat Murphy's QSO record of about 10k qsos - which we did with 11k
qsos. The third was to beat our own record - which we did with 12k qsos.
These efforts were done with towers, beams, lots of operators and a lot of
work.
The latter 2 efforts included KW stations on all bands and modes
simultaneously with aluminum yagis on 40 through 432, including 4 over 4 on
20SSB (tnx K2TR). 80 and 160 were done with various extended Zepp type
antennas etc. Power was supplied by the National Guard (for free) with a
60KW generator. They were happy to support our "emergency exercise". They
manned it during the entire effort and supplied the diesel fuel. N2NT is
quite a negotiator.
Why haven't we done something like this since ? It's a lot of work and I
think most of the principals are just too busy running their own lives at
this point in time.
73,
Bob Naumann
KR2J@AOL.com
>From Matthew S. Trott" <0007288678@mcimail.com Tue May 23 15:03:00 1995
From: Matthew S. Trott" <0007288678@mcimail.com (Matthew S. Trott)
Subject: New Blood
Message-ID: <11950523140311/0007288678PJ1EM@MCIMAIL.COM>
>I agree that the path of migration for the newbies might very well be the
>VHF tests. Once they've had fun, then they might get the incentive to
>learn the code and get on HF.
I'd like to think this could happen, however, I seem to detect a general
disinterest amongst a lot of new hams when it comes to HF at all. The novices
and tech pluses already have HF priveleges on 10 and it amazed me last night
during a super E's opening
how few people were on the band.
I've entered a few VHF tests and they are a lot of fun even out in the middle
of Montana if 6 meters opens up. I guess that's the fun of it, waiting for the
powers that be to provide that ever exciting opening. I'm just afraid that not
too many new hams find this stuff exciting (HF, propagation, etc.--not to
mention contest). It's scary stuff. I keep thinking that in 10 years or so the
bottom may drop out of the whole sport (e.g. demise of Novice Round-up).
My first contest experience wasn't FD but the NR. It was a blast back in the
70's and it's the only test I ever broke into the top 10 box--Heh, heh.
But, I think I'll change my mood and realize that with some of the incentives
that are being offered in tests like SS the crowd is actually getting larger.
Also, it may not be that the real numbers are any worse than they were 20 years
ago as far as active contestors. It may just be that with sooo many more hams
around the percentage of those interested in contesting, HF, et al has gotten
smaller
(no doubt). I guess we should think of it as, '"... the harvest is plenty but
the workers are few as we try to convert
our ham brethren to the greatest sport on earth."
Sorry I rambled a bit, I think it was just something I ate but I seem to have a
bit of logorhea this morning.
73 and good luck in winning over the multitudes at FD, etc.
Matt--AA7BG
aa7bg@mcimail
>From Jeff Steinman <Jeff.Steinman.0247501@nt.com> Tue May 23 10:48:20 1995
From: Jeff Steinman <Jeff.Steinman.0247501@nt.com> (Jeff Steinman)
Subject: Interlaced Yagi Results
Message-ID: <n1410899297.32894@nrchq1.rich1.nt.com>
Subject: Time: 8:46
AM
5/23/95
I was somewhat surprised by the wide variation in responses on this one.
>From "it works, I have one" to "forget it, it's a waste of time". I also
had a lot of responses from others who said they are interested in
finding out more. I attribute this to a lack of sunspots!
A few people who have first hand experience with Force 12 antennas said
they do indeed work as claimed. And the C3 is really nothing more than a
bunch of interlaced monobanders. Those that tried interlacing
pre-computer software were generally less than satisifed, while those
that have used modeling found a combo that worked. But it takes a lot of
time and iterations.
Having little time/patience, a slow 386-25 and no real modeling
software, I think I'll look for a cheap XA and be done with it.
73
Jeff KR0Y
>From Lau, Zack, KH6CP" <zlau@arrl.org Tue May 23 15:41:00 1995
From: Lau, Zack, KH6CP" <zlau@arrl.org (Lau, Zack, KH6CP)
Subject: Atmospheric Noise
Message-ID: <2FC1F421@arrl.org>
George W2VJN wrote:
>
>The bottom line is: if you want to hear whats above atmospheric
>noise you need a low noise figure above 10MHz, some of the time.
>
>Newer radios have noise figures of about 6dB with the preamp on.
>Using a front end filter with 8dB of attenuation will raise the
>noise figure to 14dB which is clearly too high.
>
I agree, the ultimate 10 meter station should probably have a noise
figure around 2 dB. This is readily achievable with a low noise
bipolar preamp (Norton's patent ran out). A front end similar to the one in
the February 1993 QST by Jacob Makinson N6NWP would be a good
start. A helical filter probably would give the lowest loss, but really
needs an expensive sweep setup to align. Why bother with parts
that can give you under 0.3 dB insertion loss if you end up with 1 dB
of passband ripple? Finding very low loss capacitors that will handle
power/high voltage at 10 meters can be troublesome--otherwise an
ordinary LC filter would be more practical. Its a bit more work, but you
probably want to align the mixer/amps/bandpass filter as a unit.
For maximum flexibility, you want to be able to switch in as many as two
preamps (total of 20 dB gain) or attenuators, depending on conditions.
Zack zlau@arrl.org
>From Rich L. Boyd" <rlboyd@CapAccess.org Tue May 23 16:19:49 1995
From: Rich L. Boyd" <rlboyd@CapAccess.org (Rich L. Boyd)
Subject: Contest results out of QST?
Message-ID: <Pine.3.07.9505231147.C24171-a100000@cap1.capaccess.org>
Re K8DO's comments on "ARRL, Inc."
We all have a vested interest in the survival of ham radio "as we
know it." Hopefully it won't be as something we "wouldn't want to
know" that it survives! ARRL's interests are the same in this
regard. That means new blood, healthy manufacturers (who happen
to advertise, which is vital to their health and also helps fund
ARRL), etc.
K1ZZ at ARRL seems very supportive of contesting. Of course
KR1R and NF1J do everything THEY can. It should be understand-
able that the tradeoff judgments that have to be made on
how much space to devote to contesting versus space for other
things is a tricky one. Even subjects not directly related to
contesting benefit us in QST, if they help keep ham radio as a
whole strong -- that is, primarily through catering to hams
of various subgroups, keeping everyone moderately satisfied,
so that all keep contributing to ham radio.
Rich Boyd KE3Q
>From Rich L. Boyd" <rlboyd@CapAccess.org Tue May 23 16:34:04 1995
From: Rich L. Boyd" <rlboyd@CapAccess.org (Rich L. Boyd)
Subject: Young Blood/FD
Message-ID: <Pine.3.07.9505231103.D24171-7100000@cap1.capaccess.org>
If I go out and help set up a Field Day, I take my FT-1000 WITH me! hi
Rich Boyd KE3Q
>From Rich L. Boyd" <rlboyd@CapAccess.org Tue May 23 16:34:59 1995
From: Rich L. Boyd" <rlboyd@CapAccess.org (Rich L. Boyd)
Subject: Ads in the NCJ
Message-ID: <Pine.3.07.9505231158.E24171-9100000@cap1.capaccess.org>
Yeah, I've always thought ads were a plus for all of us, keeps the
subscription costs down, helps keep the publication alive, etc.
I've always thought advertisements just added to the overall size
of the publication, not took away from the space available for
articles.
Rich Boyd KE3Q
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