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The Contest Computer 2.5 and 1/2

Subject: The Contest Computer 2.5 and 1/2
From: W3MM@aol.com (W3MM@aol.com)
Date: Mon Dec 4 03:45:56 1995
Well I am back to continue the discussion. I stated that there is a work
around fix if you can not get a bios upgrade for your computer. Western
Digital has drivers that will fool your system bios into believing that your
new 1 gig hard drive is actually a 10 meg drive. Tony, WB2P, has installed
two 1 gig drives in his wife's computer and is using the previously mentioned
drivers. The bios thinks that it is supporting two 10 meg drives. This method
is acceptable for everyday applications such as the family drive but I do 
not recomend it for the contest drive. Now here is why I do not recomend
this approach for the contest drive. The mentioned drivers are a TSR which 
is continuously running and demand CPU attention and time. The contest
logging programs such as CT are sensitive about TSR's that are running.
So just to keep things simple in the Contest Drive set-up I want to eliminate
this potential problem. 

Now I am going to get away from contest for a moment but everyone should
understand something about Windows. I stated that DOS cannot recognize
a drive larger than 540 meg. Well guess what. Windows 3.1 and Windows
for Work Groups 3.11 cannot either. Well No Worry Mate! Western Digital
has drivers for Windows that replace the native Windows drivers with drivers
that recognize big drives. Ok, what does this do? This allows you to turn
on 32 bit disk and 32 bit file access with large drives. This is the end of
the Windows discussion.

Well you did not think this stuff was complicated? There are the people 
that don't know anything! And there are the people that don't suspect 
anything! I am not trying to be smart here, it is just the way things
happen. 

Ok: 1. I said do not run drivers to fool the bios so that you can use a big 
          drive. Reason: TSR is running all the time.
      2. DO NOT run a disk compression program such as Stacker or 
          DOS Double Space, same reason as above.
      3. DO NOT use RAM Doubler software. Same reason as above.

The above 3 DON'Ts apply directly to the contest drive. If you need more
RAM or a bigger drive, then buy it ! 

This is the most difficult post from my part because it forces each
individual
to evaluate the present contest computer. I will give you my opinion of
what to do as follows:

  1. I have an 8088 0r 286 computer. DO NOT spend a dime on this
      Configuration. Live with it or trash it!
  2. I have a 386. Consider a hard drive upgrade and a possible increase
      in the amount of RAM.
  3. I have a 486 or better. Well you are probably there!!

Ok: That about covers a difficult subject. If there are a significant amount
of questions, I will make a post to all of you. The next post will deal with
the monitor and the video card. Believe me, these two guys can eat your
shorts.

VY 73 de Dave, W3MM    w3mm@aol.com   

>From w7ni@teleport.com (Stan Griffiths)  Mon Dec  4 09:10:57 1995
From: w7ni@teleport.com (Stan Griffiths) (Stan Griffiths)
Subject: CAC Address?/160 DX window
Message-ID: <199512040910.BAA00997@desiree.teleport.com>

>>re the people calling cq in the DX window:  I entered into my
>>CT note file all the USA calls I heard calling CQ in the window,
>>with the time & exact frequency.   I'd suggest that other
>>people entering the contest submit lists as well & perhaps there
>>will be something done.

>>* Alan Braun MD, NS0B/V31EV 

>Al,
>Perhaps, the better idea would be to have the Contest Sponsor send a notice
>to the offender when they submit their log and inform them offically of the
>error.
>>From what I saw later in the Contest, the major offenders are the Big Gun
>stations
>who may feel they're above rules they don't agree with or are too important to
>be trifled with.  I feel a ramped approach would be better overall.
>
>73,  Bob - K8BL

The problem with contestents reporting heard violations is that they
generally have no way of knowing who they REALLY heard.  If you wanted to
get your favorite rival disqualified, just drop into the DX window and call
CQ a bunch of times and sign his call.  This "reporting scheme" won't work
without roving referees who can catch people "in the act".

Stan  W7NI@teleport.com


>From Bill Fisher <bill@akorn.net>  Mon Dec  4 13:05:56 1995
From: Bill Fisher <bill@akorn.net> (Bill Fisher)
Subject: CAC Address?/160 DX window
Message-ID: <Pine.BSD/.3.91.951204075528.7449B-100000@paris.akorn.net>

On Sun, 3 Dec 1995 frenaye@pcnet.com wrote:

> 160m Window:  Not such a good turn of events...
> I just can't believe all of the radio policeman that have come out of the 
> woodwork.  Must be the wintertime blues.

I heard one of these idiot police-op's telling N2NU to QSY out of the 
window.  N2NU was calling a DX station.  After a couple of go arounds 
N2NU finally decided to send the DX station's callsign and then DE N2NU.  
I thought..."Well that was good idea, that should get rid of the idiot."  
Bzzzzt.  The guy telling N2NU to get out of the window was disrupting the 
window more than N2NU (who was calling DX!!!!).  

On an even more (personally) humoruous note... Our local (SE) DX cluster 
contest-cop was CQing in the DX window.  I couldn't pass up the chance to 
give him a dose of his own self-rightous medicine... I told him he was in the 
window and he responded "so what, I'm not sending in my log and ur not 
signing your call."  I responded "so what, they'll never catch me.".  
Ooops... guess I'm caught.  

73

Bill, KM9P




>From JOHN GOLOMB <GOLOMB@LAKEHURST.NAVY.MIL>  Mon Dec  4 13:03:44 1995
From: JOHN GOLOMB <GOLOMB@LAKEHURST.NAVY.MIL> (JOHN GOLOMB)
Subject: KE2PF 160 S/O low pwr
Message-ID: <s0c2acca.028@LAKEHURST.NAVY.MIL>


   My messages to the contest reflector are getting bounced for some
reason, so I've asked John KZ2S to foward this for me:

KE2PF ARRL 160 score
Single op, Unassisted, LOW POWER
14 hours of operation

QSO's: 795  Sections: 62  Countries: 11 score: 118,917 points, paper
logging

Rig: Kenwood TS930  second spotting radio: kenwood ts820
Antenna: inverted L, draped over a tree, about 55' vertical, the rest
horizontal.  Several radials, none over 90' long

   Due to my wife's work schedule I was unable to operate S/O HP from
N2RM, so I threw up an inverted L (actually just added to my existing
40m vertical).  My location is a US Coast Guard leased house, in a
shore  community. My property is about a 50' by 100' lot with a
couple 60'  trees.  

   All I can say is "location was everything!". The house is less
than 300 yards from the Delaware Bay, and I look directly at salt
water from  NW thru west to south.  20 miles of saltwater before the
next land, Delaware, and there is nothing in that state to block a
signal!!  I have many neigbors, only feet away, but they are summer
residents only and I was able to sneak a few radials through their
back yards.  All the local  utilities are buried, and it is a super
quiet location.  The house isn't wired for 220, and I'm not allowed
to rewire anything, so Im limited to low power (I don't own an amp
anyway).  My only regret: I couldn't put in a full effort.  I even
had some Europeans call me the second night.

   I guess Ill definitely give it a go in the CQWW 160 contest from
here again (low power).  See you all in January for the QSO party...
Happy Holidays,

Dave KE2PF
KE2PF@MCIMAIL.COM





>From De Syam <syam@Glue.umd.edu>  Mon Dec  4 13:18:58 1995
From: De Syam <syam@Glue.umd.edu> (De Syam)
Subject: ARRL 160 Meter Contest: K3ZO Results & Comments
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.951204081014.873B-100000@espresso.eng.umd.edu>

This was not a full-time effort as the XYL arrived back from a trip to 
Thailand Saturday morning and I had to pick her up and spend time getting 
her up to speed on what had been going on around here in her absence.  
Nevertheless conditions were good so I spent as much time in the contest 
as I could spare.

It seems as though reducing the DX window to 5 KHz. has had the desired 
effect of clearing it out.  I called several DX stations there to open 
the contest when I first got on at 0430Z the first night, and I didn't 
hear any W/VE CQ'ing in the window.  As I checked it later from time to 
time I heard only one K4 (weak) CQ'ing in it so it was no bother.

My results:  717 QSO's  67 W/VE multipliers  23 DX countries  138,510 pts.

I was quite pleased to work JH1RES at 1208Z the second day, the first 
time I have ever worked Japan from here on 160 during any contest.  Also 
heard JA7NI and JA0MVW but no joy with them.

                             Very 73,

                            Fred Laun, K3ZO 

>From Dravland, Todd" <ToddD@dci.state.sd.us  Mon Dec  4 15:59:00 1995
From: Dravland, Todd" <ToddD@dci.state.sd.us (Dravland, Todd)
Subject: W0SD 160m
Message-ID: <30C31D3B@sdmailgw.state.sd.us>


Posted for W0SD:

Multi Operator:  W0SD, K0TPF, NS0N, W7XU/0

1071 Q's    x   80 =  174,000


TS950SDX
HF2500 ==> Now with smoked transformer!
DIPOLE @ 100FT
VERTICAL  in SWAMP

With the exception of Barry, NS0N, a first contest in years for the other 
 ops.  They had fun and are looking foward to more of the multi-op 
contesting.  73

todd, wd0t

toddd@dci.state.sd.us

>From lvn@fox.cen.com (Larry Novak)  Mon Dec  4 14:06:17 1995
From: lvn@fox.cen.com (Larry Novak) (Larry Novak)
Subject: K3TLX ARRL 160 Score
Message-ID: <9512041406.AA03034@cen.com>


Operator: K3TLX

Category: Single Op, High Power

402 Q's x ( 56 domestic + 10 dx) = 55,836

Operating Time: 12 hours

Equipment: TS-930 with AL-80A (500w); Inverted L.

Highlight: Having CU3CS answer my CQ.

Lowlight: Missing NE after he sent "?LX" and the thundering herd (none
of whom had either an L or an X in their calls) continued unabated. The
NE station just went QRT shortly afterwards. This kind of behavior is
becoming more and more common and is really a pain in the posterior. I
wish these people would understand the difference between aggressive
operating and just plain crude and rude.

Conditions to the west coast were not nearly as good as last year (even
N6DX was not easy!). Conditions to Europe, however, seemed better. Some
day I'd really like to try this contest full-time - it's great fun.

Mults heard but not worked: EB, ID, NE, SF, WWA

73, Larry

-- 
     +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
     | Larry Novak            \-\-\         email:   lnovak@cen.com |
     | Century Computing, Inc.  |             Tel:   (301) 953-3330 |
     | 8101 Sandy Spring Road   |      Tel (@NRL):   (202) 404-7682 |
     | Suite 200                |             Fax:   (301) 953-2368 |
     | Laurel, MD 20707         |   Amateur Radio:    K3TLX, C6AHE  |
     | http://www.cen.com/      |                                   |
     +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=---=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
     + INSULATOR COLLECTOR'S: http://www.resilience.com/insulators/ +
     +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=---=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+

>From Ingemar.Fogelberg@cec.comm.se (Ingemar Fogelberg)  Mon Dec  4 14:10:55 
>1995
From: Ingemar.Fogelberg@cec.comm.se (Ingemar Fogelberg) (Ingemar Fogelberg)
Subject: CQWW95CW SL0CB score + comments
Message-ID: <199512041410.PAA11450@nic.comm.se>

CQWW 1995 CW

Call:     SL0CB   
Class:    Single OP/Single Band 20/High Power/Unassited
Operator: SM0AJV

         QSO        QSO-POINTS        ZONES        COUNTRIES      TOTAL SUM
         545        1178              32           93          => 146 072
         
Comments:
There was some planning to join the M/S with SL0CB  but we got 
trouble with antenna on 15m. So it went out to be a part 
time effort in SO/20m High Power Unassisted by me, 'Ingo', SM0AJV.

Started on Saturday at 11z, got on the air too late for Far East 
openings. Started to play around... got some trouble with keystrokes in 
CT since I'm more used to TRLOG.
Nice condx openings both south and west, but no JA:s at all. Found some 
African stations calling CQ with no takers. Must be frustrating for TU2MA 
et al not having a hughe pile up!! 
Lots of stations having problem with the SL prefix (IL, HL, 5L, DL, EL etc).
Had to QRT and go home in the evening to 
help XYL get the children into bed. Got back late on saturday night, 
found the band closed. Worked 3 QSO in one hour!
Back home for some sleep. My 2,5 daughter, Hanna, thought otherwise... she made 
lots of real local QRM at 0100Z!! 
Anyway she got me up at 0600Z on Sunday morning so I got back to SL0CB 
for some JA:s. Band was open to all directions. Had to leave 11Z for 
family. But in the last CQ before closing down I got a weak 3W coming back.
Had lots of fun! Looking forward to a more serious effort next time.

TRCVR:   IC-765
PA:      TL-922
ANT:     Hy-Gain Explorer @ 18m
SW:              CT
Food:    Sandwiches, cold pizza, carbonated water, tea
QRM:     Neighbours little dog trying to be hostile! But Real Contester 
         ain't afraid of dogs only real LOW RATE. :o)
On-time: 10 hours


73 de Ingo / SM0AJV


>From Pete Smith <n4zr@ix.netcom.com>  Mon Dec  4 14:32:25 1995
From: Pete Smith <n4zr@ix.netcom.com> (Pete Smith)
Subject: W3MM's contest computer series
Message-ID: <199512041432.GAA22057@ix2.ix.netcom.com>

Congrats to Dave on a very useful series.

Let me add one note on the use of Double-Space/Stacker etc.  Even if you
only have one computer and need a drive expander to go on using a relatively
small drive, there is still hope.  At least in the case of Double-space
(comes with DOS 6), you can run programs and store data on the "host drive,"
which is uncompressed.  In my case, for example, there is about 30 MB left
on the "I:" drive outside of the huge file that contains the compressed "C:"
drive.  After I had trouble with CW sending using TRLog on the C: drive, I
moved it to I: where it works fine, because the compression routine is not
energized when writing directly to the I: drive.  This approach is
sanctioned in the DOS 6 manual, by the way, for programs that aren't happy
on the compressed drive.

73,

Pete N4ZR (n4zr@ix.netcom.com)


>From K. Caruso x226-6935 <caruso@netcad.ENET.dec.com>  Mon Dec  4 14:38:16 1995
From: K. Caruso x226-6935 <caruso@netcad.ENET.dec.com> (K. Caruso x226-6935 
<caruso@netcad.ENET.dec.com>)
Subject: WO1N ARRL 160 test
Message-ID: <9512041438.AA29891@us1rmc.bb.dec.com>

                     

      Call: WO1N                      Country: United States
      Mode: CW                       Category: Single Operator
      Section: EMA                      Power: Low Power
 
           QSO   QSO PTS  PTS/QSO    SECTIONS  COUNTRIES
 Totals    287     583     2.03         44          3    =   27,401
 Hours Operated: 13.1

 Equipment Description: Yaesu FT757GXII, Inverted L at 55'

 Club Affiliation: YCCC

 OK, I lied to Billy at the League, I said I was going to load up the
 lawn chairs for this years 160 test, but didn't. Instead I added more
 radials to the Inverted L I put up last year.

 I was looking forward to this one, even had the station ready to go
 several days in advance. At the last minute, I drove to the candy store
 to pick up one of the DSP59+ boxes. As a result, I missed the start.

 I hope the rest of you thought conditions weren't great on Friday night.
 They were much better on Saturday. Although I heard several Europeans both
 nights, John (ON4UN) was the only one that could pull me out. This contrasts
 to last years CQ160 CW test where I had a dozen or so Europeans. I'm hoping
 I haven't made the antenna *worse* by adding radials.

 The DSP box worked great. No, I didn't use it all the time, but it could
 pull out completely uncopiable signals at times. Here's my cleaned up 
 notes summary of the test:

  39  160  0120 I3VHO no ears but gud sig at 0120
  65  160  0332 Heard K1TWF work ON4UN at 0330
  80  160  0421 Static crashes building as evening wears on....
 125  160  0603 NC0P big signal at 0600
 178  160  0059 VP2V/K3LR, I hope to handle pileups like him when I grow up
 183  160  0119 KG8CW, must be on repeat mode all day!
 194  160  0219 New Mexico second night, bands a little better
 249  160  0426 K9KU ur welcome, stole my freq, least I had presence of mind 
                to wrk him. Life is bad ;-(
 250  160  0428 Then N4XR steals it from him...Life is good ;-)
 262  160  1014 WB2DLA score another one for the dsp59

 Really enjoyed it again. Pretty impressive, most everyone honored the DX
 window. Good job guys.

 CU agn next year...Ken - WO1N

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