Marty, W8AKS wrote:
>These Qsl's turned an negative
>attitude into a positive one. One that tolerated my hobby and allowed the
>new antennas, etc. This I try to remember when the Qsl's come in.
> Think about it, guys. Remember your days and what the Qsl's meant to
>you!
How true! Remember the first time you contacted PY on 15 meters in the
novice band? Remember how you thought you were 'hot stuff?' Remember how
good you felt when that QSL came in?
That "warm fuzzy" is still felt by a lot of hams who give us points,
especially if you're a new state/country/grid square/(insert designator
here) for them.
So, take pause the next time you get that 400-card buro shipment, or the
QSL with no SASE. If it's a ham unfamiliar with the "rules" of QSL'ing,
remember that you were there once, too. Educate them. The more we
POLITELY spread the word about the importance of SASE's, the better off
we will all be. We might even get a few new contesters out of the lot;
how bad can that be?
73,
Sean
--
Sean Kutzko Amateur Radio: KF9PL
Urbana, IL WWW=http://hobbes.ncsa.uiuc.edu/sean/ DXCC:306 wkd/302 cfmd
"Keepin' up with the Jones's is killing me..."
>From R.B. Vallio" <wsixrgg@crl.com Wed Mar 13 07:38:33 1996
From: R.B. Vallio" <wsixrgg@crl.com (R.B. Vallio)
Subject: WRTC-96 Stations Needed (long)
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960312210728.8360A-100000@crl11.crl.com>
This message is aimed at readers in the San Francisco Bay
area. Please excuse the bandwidth, if you have no interest
in the search for WRTC-96 stations, and thank you for your
consideration.
------------------------------------------------------------
The WORLD RADIOSPORT TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP-96 (WRTC-96) will be
held in the greater San Francisco Bay area during July 1996,
under the auspices of WORLD RADIOSPORT TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP 96,
INC. This message is an urgent request for Bay area station
owners to help make WRTC-96 the success we wish it to be, by
volunteering your station for use during the competition.
Others not in the Bay Area, may wish to learn just how this
historic Amateur Radio event is being organized.
The first WORLD RADIOSPORT TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP was held in
Seattle, WA in 1990, in conjunction with the GOODWILL GAMES,
and this year's event is intended to foster goodwill around
the world through Amateur Radio.
During the the WRTC-96 competition there will be 52 two-operator
teams from the U.S., and around the world, operating CW and SSB
during the IARU Radiosport contest, July 13-14, 1996 on 40 thru
10 meters, from existing stations located in the general area of
the flatlands surrounding San Francisco Bay. Participants will
be providing their own equipment, and the power output is limited
to 100W.
WRTC-96, Inc is looking for approximately 75 stations in
this area, to be used as a pool for placing these 52
operating teams. Volunteer station owners are being asked
to make their station available to a team from noon on
Friday July 12, to 1:00 AM on Sunday July 14. The actual
contest period will be from 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM, July 13.
Station owners will become a part of the extended WRTC family,
and will have the opportunity not only of hosting one of the
top contesting teams from around the world, but also of joining
in some of the parties and informal get-togethers included in
this historic gathering of the world's best contesters.
The ideal station will have a tri-band yagi at 40 to 50 feet,
and a wire dipole for 40 meters, and will be located in the
flatlands around San Francisco bay. The competitors will
provide their own station equipment; two 100W transceivers,
earphones, microphones, keyers, computers, antenna switches,
etc., and the station owner will be asked only to provide the
place from which to operate. Call signs to be used by the
competitors, as well as licensing for overseas operators,
will be administered by the WRTC-96, Inc. organization, and
will not be an issue for station owners.
>From the stations which are volunteered for use for WRTC-96, we
will select 52 which are as nearly alike as possible for the
competitors to operate. If your station is equipped with a
tri-band yagi at around 40 to 50 feet, and you have an existing
40 meter wire dipole, or room for one to be installed for the
competition (or you know of someone with such a station), and
would like to participate as a host-station for WRTC-96, please
contact me immediately.
I can be reached via e-mail at wsixrgg@crl.com, or on
packet at W6RGG@N6QMY, or on the DXPSN.
Thank you and 73,
Bob Vallio, W6RGG
For WRTC-96, Inc.
Bob Vallio - W6RGG wsixrgg@crl.com
>From Stuart R. Crawford VE6SRC" <crawfors@cuug.ab.ca Tue Mar 12 13:16:29 1996
From: Stuart R. Crawford VE6SRC" <crawfors@cuug.ab.ca (Stuart R. Crawford
VE6SRC)
Subject: 126 Certificates
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.960312061545.21290C-100000@dec3300>
Has anyone rx certificated from the ARRL for the /126 in Sept 95?
Stuart R. Crawford VE6SRC crawfors@cuug.ab.ca
Calgary, Alberta ve6src@va2bbs
(403) 247-1063
STOP BY THE ARLA WEB SITE -- http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~crawfors/arla
>From jamesm@defcen.gov.au (Jim Muller VK1FF/WB2FFY) Wed Mar 13 13:18:15 1996
From: jamesm@defcen.gov.au (Jim Muller VK1FF/WB2FFY) (Jim Muller VK1FF/WB2FFY)
Subject: 1996 John Moyle Contest
Message-ID: <9603131318.AA21995@csc.canberra.edu.au>
Hello Fellow Contesters,
Australia will be holding their 1996 John Moyle contest this weekend
and contacts from around the world will be most welcome.
The John Moyle contest is a field day competition where VK/ZL/P2's enjoy
some time in the bush with the aim to provide operational training and
familiarization with portable operation for emergency situations.
Date/Time: 16 March at 0100z -through- 0059z on 17 March, 1996
Bands: All bands (except 10, 18, and 24 Mhz)
Modes: All
Exchange: RS(T) plus a three digit number commencing at 001 and
incrementing by one for each contact. Portable stations
will add the letter "P" to the end of their exchange serial.
Misc: Contacts between stations are permitted once per band per
mode - Phone (which includes SSB/FM/AM) and CW (which
includes CW/RTTY/PACKET/and other digital modes). An
exception to this rule is made for portable stations which
may make repeat contacts providing at least three hours have
elaspsed since the previous contact on that band/mode.
The contest is open to all VK, ZL, and P2 stations. Other stations are
welcome to participate, but can only work VK, ZL, and P2 stations.
Send me an email message if your interested in any further details and
hope to hear you on the bands!
73, Jim Muller Packet: VK1FF@VK1KCM.ACT.AUS.AUNZ
VK1FF/WB2FFY Internet: jamesm@defcen.gov.au
>From PAT DOYLE <DOYLEPS@LAKEHURST.NAVY.MIL> Wed Mar 13 13:59:25 1996
From: PAT DOYLE <DOYLEPS@LAKEHURST.NAVY.MIL> (PAT DOYLE)
Subject: Contest Logging -Reply -Reply
Message-ID: <s1468ddd.048@LAKEHURST.NAVY.MIL>
I like W9SZ's suggestion of replacing Singal Reports with Grid Squares in
contest exchanges. For DX contests, especially, it would make
determining beam heading easier and eliminate a lot of head scratching
as to a station's actual QTH. TO5A in French Martinique during the ARRL
CW DX Contest comes immediately to mind...
KA2GSL
>From tom georgens" <tom=georgens%Eng%OpenSys@fishbowl02.lss.emc.com Wed Mar
>13 14:25:23 1996
From: tom georgens" <tom=georgens%Eng%OpenSys@fishbowl02.lss.emc.com (tom
georgens)
Subject: W2SC SQUINT
Message-ID: <vines.vc59+GfhFlA@fishbowl02.emc.com>
My daughter Michelle, age 11, participated in her second SQUINT this
weekend. She finished with 19 contacts in about 50 minutes. This
includes and EA2 and CO6 who never really gave her a favorite song.
Interestingly, she only worked one station under 31 years of age and
she really could not relate to some of the songs (Sentimental Journey,
Blue Moon, My way etc.). She was happy to recognize "You ain't
nothing but a hound dog." She got Layla from two of the stations.
The one 11 year old she worked gave a song that neither of us
recognized. I suggested that Michelle use "Happy Birthday" - kind
of like the SQUINT equivalent of 5NN.
She had a good time and she though the voice keyer was cool.
When she was done, I asked her if she wanted to do this for 48 hours
next time. She made a face and said "Get Real dad."
Thanks Tree for organizing the event, it was fun.
73, Tom W2SC w2sc@emc.com
>From John Brosnahan <broz@csn.net> Wed Mar 13 14:39:12 1996
From: John Brosnahan <broz@csn.net> (John Brosnahan)
Subject: small keyboards
Message-ID: <199603131439.HAA15270@lynx.csn.net>
My interest in small keyboards prompted me to look around
for some last year. I have obtained two and neither are perfect
but seem to be adequate.
Both measure approximately 6 x 12 inches and are much more
compatible with being placed in front of a radio without blocking
the knobs than the typical MEGA-keyboard.
The SIIG MiniTouch Model 1903 is "Computer Offwhite" in color
and has one thing I don't like. When rebooted it comes up in the
NUMLOCK ON mode. But mini-keyboards share their numbers
with the letters and before you can type any DOS commands
you have to remember to hit the NUMLOCK off button. Minor
annoyance--but gets larger when you have just had a computer
crash during a JA run and are trying to get back into rhythm and
your DOS or CT commands have nums in place of alphas. The
keyboard performed flawlessly through a few CW contests
running CT but when trying it on phone with the DVP I was getting
some anomalous errors that went away when I swapped keyboards
(after swapping everything else in the system including DVPs, CT
revs, etc.) I believe this was happening with no RF present--while
I was setting up the system and it is unclear to me how this might
happen and I need to check it out in more detail before I can say there
is a problem with the DVP and this keyboard (either individual keyboard
or the particular model). The keyboard has a pretty nice "clicky" feel, a
nice L-shapped "enter" key but small "alt" keys and small "Fn" keys (to
shift to alternate functions on the shared keys). I bought this one
at Incredible Universe, but I have also seem them at Elek-Tek, and they
may be at other computer stores. Seems like the price was in the
$50 category--maybe $59.
The second option is the BTC-5100 series that I found in the back of
Computer Shopper. It is available in both white and black versions.
Bought the black version and will add black PCs and monitors to
my shack that is dominated by the dark gray of two 781s and two
87As. Hope to give the feeling of Darth Vader and inspire the operator
to villainous excesses! But the keyboard is a little mushy. It does
come up with NUMLOCK OFF so that is not a problem and I like the
larger "Fn", "Ctrl", and "Alt" keys, but the "Enter" is just a regular
double-key size. It is also available in the $50 price range. I have
used it for CW contests (well George, W0UA, has, using my
station/call) but I have not tried it with the DVP.
I can't understand how the SIIG and the DVP could conflict so I feel
compelled to check it out in more detail before the WPX. The small
keyboards are probably more important for CW contests where extra
room is needed for a paddle.
Although the programmable "any-key" style keyboard allows some
neat multi-keystrokes to be programmed, they are quite large and
are susceptible to being placed in the programming mode by accident
and getting very strange results as a consequence--ask W0UA, so I
don't use them anymore.
If anyone has any additonal experiences with either these or other
mini keyboards I would like to hear about them.
73 John W0UN
John Brosnahan
La Salle Research Corp 24115 WCR 40 La Salle, CO 80645 USA
voice 970-284-6602 fax 970-284-0979 email broz@csn.net
>From jesposit@sctcorp.com (Joe Esposito) Wed Mar 13 15:05:00 1996
From: jesposit@sctcorp.com (Joe Esposito) (Joe Esposito)
Subject: QSLing
Message-ID: <m0tws6m-0003fxC@sctladm.sctcorp.com>
I have to agree with Marty, W8AKS. It was such a thrill to receive
QSLs regardless of who they were from when I first was licensed. Even
today, I still have every QSL from every ham that responded to my SWL
reports on routine stateside QSOs on 80 and 40 AM.
Today, I QSL every DX contact I make (yes, I probably have 60-70 LU
cards in my boxes) and I QSL every one that I receive (stateside or
otherwise) that I didn't solicit.
I'm sure one day that electronic mail, internet, etc will make
pasteboards obsolete but until then I plan to continue to collect
them. When that happens, a cherished part of our hobby will be gone.
It still astonishes me when I speak before clubs with large numbers of
no-code techs that they don't even know what a QSL is?
73,
Joe, K2YJL/M
>From Big Don <bigdon@eskimo.com> Wed Mar 13 14:09:52 1996
From: Big Don <bigdon@eskimo.com> (Big Don)
Subject: Rohn 25G (was: Rhon 25G)
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960313060008.28982C-100000@eskimo.com>
On Tue, 12 Mar 1996, Jim - KK7A wrote:
> At 10:39 AM 3/10/96 -0800, you wrote:
> >On Sun, 10 Mar 1996 K7LXC@aol.com wrote:
> >
> >> [...] My advice is to study the Rohn book
> >> religiously and then BUILD EVERYTHING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECS. You'll
> >> be
> >> in a potentially dangerous position if you don't.
> >
> >My 70's vintage Rohn Catalog (Rohn Dwg Nr B-690712 R2 dated 1-7-75) shows
> >the "proper" way to construct a clipped guy cable connection with thimble
> >and clamps. The 14" "dead" end of the cable has the strands cut off to
> >different lengths and "served" (each strand seaparately wrapped around
> >the live cable). Now c'mon, Steve. Nobody in the WHOLE WORLD really does
> >that, do they? They just cut off the dead end some polite distance beyond
> >the last clamp and call it good...
>
> Don,
> FYI, I served all my 3/16" EHS cable ends. It took several weekends but
> I feel more secure about the whole installation.
> Jim Larson - KK7A - Boise, Idaho
Well, assuming you tighten the clamp bolts properly, serving is a waste
of time. Hell, Rohn doesn't even do it themselves!! The only place I
could find in the catalog showing an actual photo of a clamped cable end
installation is on an advertising sheet for the Rohn 25 "Fold-over"
tower. There are three good quality black and white photos: one of the
base, one of the hand winch, and one of the hinge point. The hinge point
photo (right next to a big hairy logo "Quality Steel Products by ROHN")
clearly shows two of the clamped cable guy attachments just below the
hinge, each with three clamps and a few-inch long piece of cable dangling
beyond the last clamp, exactly as Big Don described it in the original
post...
Big Don
>From jfeustle@UOFT02.UTOLEDO.EDU (Joseph A. Feustle, Jr.) Wed Mar 13 16:11:41
>1996
From: jfeustle@UOFT02.UTOLEDO.EDU (Joseph A. Feustle, Jr.) (Joseph A. Feustle,
Jr.)
Subject: Antenna aloft (not long enough)
Message-ID: <01I2ADN8D75W005GEZ@UOFT02.UTOLEDO.EDU>
Bruce is right about the possible, unforseen consequences of the balloon
antenna for 160. However, and here comes the disclaimer, that was a bad
weekend for "tethered objects." I'm looking forward to attending the NASA
seminar on "tethering" bound to be coming up soon. Mama mia!, I only had
$40.00 in my tethered object, not counting the helium--but we got to snort
some of that. I think they had a bit more in their's. Imagine if that 12
miles of stuff gets tangled on something. That's a long way to send an
engineer to repair it.
Being the responsible guy that he is, Bruce doesn't see the other side of
this issue, the irresponsible one. Imagine, for example, the unbridled glee
of little Marie and Jacques, residents of the town of Foutez, who could have
been treated to a stunning but short-lived fireworks display early in the
Saturday morning of the 160 SSB contest as the N8AAT "Bad News Balloon"
visited the high voltage lines that serve their little town. Of course, they
might also have a few days off from school too while repairs were made. Not
bad.
Getting back down to earth, the balloon represented at most an $80.00
investment. Though it will never give anyone the same signal that AA8U,
WB9Z, or AB4RU and others get out of their fine setups, and never will, it
DOES give a certain, undeniable instant SMACK to a signal on 160 that one
may otherwise not get. No doubt about it: until it took off and headed out
over Lake Erie (my sincere pardon to any I've offended, and a big "right-on"
to those who may have gotten out of school), it played much stronger than
the VEE or the ZL at 100 feet. It certainly is a very cost-effective way to
become modestly competitive on 160.
Next season, all of us down here in the armpit of Ohio promise to practice
safe dx and responsible contesting. We've been researching our Dickie
Marchinko books and are looking at applying his IEDs as a self-destruct
mechanism in case our balloons, kites, or war-surplus Huey take off on us.
73
N8AAT
Go, Mad River! Some of us are really "mad."
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