Peter writes:
> was better. Then came ARRL DX SSB. It struck me at about 2 O'clock Sunday
> when our QSO rates began to look like thoes on 80 and 160. Had we contested
> so long that we worked everyone? With 2600 Q's in the log by then, multi-
> pliers and new stations did not appear again until the last hour of the
> contest.
This slow down in activity is a part of the contest. I think that it is
during this part of the contest that the great ops are seperated from the
good ops. It is very easy to stay intrested and excitied about the contest
during the early stages - it is only during the later stages that you must
really dig deep inside yourself to keep going. It is *not* easy to operate
at the levels of the contest winners. It is very hard work. If you think
that just going to one of the stations that beat you and operating will
allow you win contests you are wrong. Those people have spent alot of
years losing contests to do that well. It takes years of practice to
do that well in a contest. It takes even more commitment. Someone
once aksed a great contest op (W0UA I think) "who will be your compitition
in the next sweepstakes?" the great op said, "Anyone who wants to win enough."
I have seen several people try to *buy* their way to a contest win.
They built very big stations and used the best radios and amps.
What they found out was that the hardware is not enough - radios, amps
and stacked arrays do not win contests -- highly skilled contest ops do.
No matter how big your station is or how much power you run there are
always lots of weak stations to dig out of the noise. This is real work.
> Since we have only six over two on 10 - 20 (unlike 5 over 5 or more)
> and are running Alpha 87's (1.5KW) we cant compete against the New Englanders
> who run illegal power (some approaching 10 Kilowatts) with large arrays.
> How common is this experience? Should be start discussing the ideas of shorter
> contest periods? How about power classes? how about handicaps? More info!
I would like to say that I think there very very few if any contest ops that
run 10kw during a contest. There are a few that run 5kw (still a small number)
There are a few examples of people who have run big power (10k+) in contests
and they are very easy to spot. esp on the low bands or backscatter.
I have noticed that many people think that some bands or models of amps
more power than they really do. I have operated for years from a station
that uses single tube alpha 77's (8877 tube - 1500w plate disp.) and
I was always amazed at what people thought those amps would put out.
In fact the amp that you are using (2x 4cx800 - 1600w plate disp.) will
easily run a bit over 2500 watts.
If you think a few more watts of power will allow you to win a contest you
are wrong. As I said before it takes years of practice to get as good
as the top operators.
lastly I want to encourage you and others who feel like you do to keep
operating and to keep on trying to beat the "big guns". You will have
a great time and learn alot a
long the way. I used to operate a very
small station (for years) at 100w , then at a whole 500 watts. I got
better and better through the years. I always took the underdog approch.
I wanted to bet those guys that had more hardware. (now that is *real* fun)
It is so much fun that I still like to do it more than getting on with the
big hardware.
George
wb5vzl
austin
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