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Re: [NA-User] NA issues in the ARRL DX CW Contest

To: k8gl@sbcglobal.net, "na-user@contesting.com" <na-user@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [NA-User] NA issues in the ARRL DX CW Contest
From: k8mp--- via NA-User <na-user@contesting.com>
Reply-to: "k8mp@aol.com" <k8mp@aol.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2024 20:54:57 +0000 (UTC)
List-post: <mailto:na-user@contesting.com>
It's getting hard to find old confusers with ports for NA.A few years ago, 
Micro Center had some Win 10 laptops with a DB-9 com port and I scarfed one up. 
I'm able to do keying and rig control through it. I have N1MM+ on it and I use 
it for team events. (FD, WFD, etc)
At home, it's NA only and I'll never switch. I have a small bone yard of desk 
top parts, including 3 or 4 old hard drives which I clone my active NA hard 
drive to periodically. 

Joe, K8MP 
 
  On Mon, Feb 26, 2024 at 12:54 PM, Greg Surma<k8gl@sbcglobal.net> wrote:   
OK...perhaps NA was not at fault.
Remember that screen in NA that tells you how many QSO's that your computer has 
room for?  My main computer has room for 16000+ so it has never been an issue.  
Last fall I decided to add a second computer and keyboard and monitor to do an 
"effortless" SO2R.  By effortless I mean not having to share the single 
computer between two rigs.  I love the way this has performed.
As you might know, the conditions on ARRL DX CW weekend were incredible.  My 
two 2 element quads (one at 64' and the other at 72') coupled to two K3S's and 
two amps were doing yeoman duty in filling my log with contacts.
Alas, during my last hour of the contest, my second computer came up with the 
"screen of death" announcement that my computer only had memory for  3275 
QSO's. The screen froze.  I quickly loaded a new NA log and it froze after only 
two contacts.  I then realized that I had to rely on main computer only.  The 
reason turned out to be that my second computer was only an 8086 and the XMS 
limited NA to only 3275 QSO's.  Or at least that is how I interpret what that 
Googler thing told me.
That was the bad news, and that ended my 15 meter small JA run.  The good news 
is that it forced me back on 20 meters where I picked up 5 additional 
multipliers (VK  OA  YV  V26   YB) in the last 25 minutes of the contest. A 
silver cloud!
After the contest I picked thru my computer bone pile.  Most had USB-only 
interface.  One had both serial and parallel ports but had other guts pulled 
out that precluded it from working.  I'll hit a swap or Craigslist to see what 
I can find.
NA is still an incredible program and I continue to tip my had to K8CC (SK) and 
K5GO for developing it.  Also kudos to AD1C for still supplying us with 
COUNTRY.DAT lists. 
Greg    K8GL
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