K7FR sez:
> Take a listen to your local repeater and tell me if what you hear
> inspired you to take up contesting; it's not inspiring -- it's
> embarrassing!
Allow me to disagree. We were all beginners once. We (maybe it was just
me?) all sounded like idiots to the old timers. Build a bridge, don't burn
the bridges. If I was a newcomer reading this stuff I'd certainly feel no
incentive to become a contester - actually, it'd convince me not to.
OK, new subject, let's get back to operating and station building!
Field Day and contesters.
Within YCCC I've been promoting the idea that each member of the club ought
to particpate in a local club's FD effort. Many have been doing it for
years, and most of them are in a leadership role within the local club.
Seems like an ideal place to show newcomers how to operate better, and the
joys of CW and other modes besides FM. So far I've compiled a list of 60
YCCCers planning to operate with local clubs! This should be a great way to
do some scouting for new contesting talent as well - we just may end up with
some good prospects for future YCCC members.
Some of my earliest ham radio experiences (besides operating on 2M FM as a
Novice and still deciding to get into contesting) involved Field Day. A
bunch of older guys let me operate at a really nice radio all night long - it
was great! They were happy to see me learn to run stations, I was happy
because of the opportunity.
As one YCCC member said, newcomers don't get as intimidated by operating at
Field Day (a pseudo-contest) as they do at a M/M or M/S contest effort.
Are any other contest clubs doing something similar? Wonder what your
experiences have been.
73 Tom
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E-mail: frenaye@pcnet.com
Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box 386, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444
>From slazar19@sgi.net (Spike Lazar) Sat Jun 8 01:45:03 1996
From: slazar19@sgi.net (Spike Lazar) (Spike Lazar)
Subject: Contest Certificates & Shinola
Message-ID: <199606080045.UAA24087@orion.bv.sgi.net>
Dear Kurt (W1PH),
I have been waiting for you to comment on contest certificates, because
you being an old time contester, who has been winning contests long before
many of these impatient newbees wannabees were even in short pants, must
have your drawers bulging with certificates.
One reason it takes so long, because there are 20,000 entries, and
19,975 win some type of certificate, its a lot of work for so few
contest volunteers just to fill in and mail out those darn things.
Now, if you really want to wait a long time, try getting on the WB5VZL
e-mail address list over at the akorn.net. I've been waiting since
February and now its a possibility that I may never get on!
What the real problem is concerning certificates, radio's at truck
stops, leo's, medical exemptions, ect., ect., is money talks and
shinola walks. This hobby does a lot of walking because it has more than
its share of cheapskates! They pay for nothing and expect everything.
If we paid $25 a year for our ticket maybe we could have real examiners,
with real teeth, the kind that make you sweat and feel guilty. If we
threw in a green stamp or two with each contest entry, it would be a down
payment in showing our appreciation to these tireless contest volunteers,
many of them who work behind the scenes and remain nameless. It may even
offset the cost for providing some of those awards or cover some of the
out of pocket expenses.
Anyways the certificates all look alike from year to year to year. If
anything the ARRL & CQ organizations should come up with some new artwork
or at least change the colors of the certificates each year.
Tree says he doesn't mail out Sprint certificates very often, thats a
good thing, because everytime I get one, I wonder how many guys received
a copy of NCJ without a cover!
Sincerely yours,
dr. Bafoofnik
p.s., I would have e-mailed this to you, but your not on VZL's e-mail list.
>From donovanf@sgate.com (Frank Donovan) Sat Jun 8 02:01:25 1996
From: donovanf@sgate.com (Frank Donovan) (Frank Donovan)
Subject: Cable Attenuation Chart (July CQ Contest)
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.93.960607203740.26778A-100000@jekyll.sgate.com>
Hi Walt!
Sri I missed u at Dayton!
Here are the cable types referred to in my Cable Attenuation Chart
on page 41 of the July/August issue of CQ Contest Magazine.
Part # Mfgr Type Size Dielectric Shield
LDF7-50A Andrew Heliax 1 5/8" Low Density Foam Annular Copper
FHJ7 Andrew Heliax 1 5/8" Foam Helical Copper
LDF5-50A Andrew Heliax 7/8" Low Density Foam Annular Copper
FXA78-50J Cablewave Foamflex 7/8" Foam Smooth Aluminum
LDF4-50A Andrew Heliax 1/2" Low Density Foam Annular Copper
SLA12-50J Cablewave Spirafil 1/2" Air Smooth Aluminum
FXA12-50J Cablewave Foamflex 1/2" Foam Smooth Aluminum
FXA38-50J Cablewave Foamflex 3/8" Foam Smooth Aluminum
73!
Frank
W3LPL
donovanf@sgate.com <---reply address
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