Jeff, et al
The essence of this contest is directly related to your frustrations....and
conversely to other comeptitor's frustrations, too!
What makes the NAQP different from all the other contests is that there is a
mult per band opportunity, I know we all know this, so what? It means for one
I gotta make sure I work my own state oon six bands for sure for sure!
If we were not sought out as multipliers but only as QSOs I know I would just
run on 20 and 40 and not spend any time on 10 or 15, especially after this
past weekend! And why not add 160 to that list, too.
OK so now we've gotten rid of the bands where making QSOs is
hard........heah, STOP!!!!!! Wait A Minute!!!!!! Do we as competitors want
to make the contest easier????? I know a salesman dreads an easy sale, if he
can get in the door so easy then so can the next guy following him in....I
think that there is a direct anology here.
My previous showings in this contest have been average with good QSO numbers
but sucky multiplier numbers...why? Because I was contesting in the same old
vanilla F1 button mentality. You have to read the rules of every contest and
dig below the surface to find out what this particular contest requires from
the competitor for him to do well. In NAQP the key is maximizing/a.k.a.:
moving/ the multipliers. It is not SS!
You do have a tough situation in that you were probably the only RI station
on during the contest (its been my experience over the past 25 years that you
usually are....I have a mental alarm that goes off when the "IU" suffix is
heard!). As such you bear the burden, as a good operator, of allowing us
competitive types begging you (just like I did yesterday) to please QSY. You
might have to develope a solution to managing this such as programming a
memory keyer with: "28040 at 2145z --..-- nw pse QRZ test K1IU". I am sure
you will persevere, and you will find the combo between running and jumping.
The fact that this is a low power competition where S&P is as important as
running and allows more guys to be competitive.... if it were just a run
feast the trophy would stay in W5. The recently honed skills of dual radio
contesting are perfect for this contest, and when you are successful at it it
sure is fun.
Only recently am I starting to be able to sucessfully manage my brains
listening ability to work with two different audio sources. It is hard but
boy is it cool to juggle it all without missing a beat....after this past
weekend I know the next step for me is that I am going to have to start using
a footswitch to select which radio to key, several times I was batting that
toggle switch on every QSO for six or seven QSOs in a row...left rig/right
rig....and as we all know: when it is fast and furious it sure is fun.
This is a competition, just because it is tough doesn't mean it is
wrong....sure I love being loud and running them, we all do. Long ago I
congratulated W6OAT on winning SS Phone...he told me he was more pleased with
his SS CW finish down in the lower part of the top ten....why....he felt
that there was more skill in his CW SS finish and less brute force successful
running because he was loud. I say bring on the tough parts - the successes
are even sweeter.
By the way, Jeff......seriously......thanks for the mults, from all of us!
C'mon sunspots.....please!!!!
73
Jim zx k1zx@contesting.com
>From ah3c@burgoyne.com (PETER GRILLO) Mon Aug 5 04:40:51 1996
From: ah3c@burgoyne.com (PETER GRILLO) (PETER GRILLO)
Subject: Eyeball QSO
Message-ID: <199608042145.PAA29279@burgoyne.com>
Hi Steve & fellow contesters -
Guess who's in the shack with me today?.......on second thought, let me tell
you because it may take a while for you to read this: Ed Campbell...do you
know his call?? or calls???? Of course you do. But what is most important
is that you and all the contesters make extra effort to work us during the
weekend of August 24-25 in the Utah Centennial QSO Party. We will be active
from Daggett and Uintah counties in the first 10 hours of the fracas. Then,
after about 6 hours of driving, we will be set up again on the
Wasatch/Duchesne counties line for the balance of the party. We will be
active all bands/modes.
Ed sez he has retired from the military as of 1 Feb this year....he
apologizes having missed Dayton. Perhaps next one!
73, Pete & Ed
at QTH of AH3C/W7
2150 East 6200 South
Salt Lake City, Ut 84121
>From ah3c@burgoyne.com (PETER GRILLO) Mon Aug 5 04:41:53 1996
From: ah3c@burgoyne.com (PETER GRILLO) (PETER GRILLO)
Subject: Eyeball QSO
Message-ID: <199608042146.PAA29298@burgoyne.com>
Hi Steve & fellow contesters -
Guess who's in the shack with me today?.......on second thought, let me tell
you because it may take a while for you to read this: Ed Campbell...do you
know his call?? or calls???? Of course you do. But what is most important
is that you and all the contesters make extra effort to work us during the
weekend of August 24-25 in the Utah Centennial QSO Party. We will be active
from Daggett and Uintah counties in the first 10 hours of the fracas. Then,
after about 6 hours of driving, we will be set up again on the
Wasatch/Duchesne counties line for the balance of the party. We will be
active all bands/modes.
Ed sez he has retired from the military as of 1 Feb this year....he
apologizes having missed Dayton. Perhaps next one!
73, Pete & Ed
at QTH of AH3C/W7
2150 East 6200 South
Salt Lake City, Ut 84121
>From ke7gh@primenet.com (Brian K. Short) Mon Aug 5 00:10:16 1996
From: ke7gh@primenet.com (Brian K. Short) (Brian K. Short)
Subject: Not To Change The Subject, But...
Message-ID: <01BB825A.214295E0@ip061.phx.primenet.com>
I have just added a new page to my web site that deals with
choosing an HF amplifier for RTTY contesting use. Of course
if an amp can stand up under RTTY contesting conditions it can
withstand about anything...
The page is comprised of a huge collection of comments from
well-known contesters on both the cq-contest and wf1b-rtty
reflectors. These comments are quite candid and have been
made as anonymous as possible to protect the relevant parties.
If you are considering purchasing an amplifier for the upcoming
contest season (or even if you're not) it is a "must read" IMHO.
The new page is accessible from my home page:
http://www.primenet.com/~ke7gh/
73 de Brian ke7gh@primenet.com
(If I worked you in NAQP CW, thank you!)
>From floydjr@Interpath.com (Jimmy R. Floyd) Sun Aug 4 21:25:49 1996
From: floydjr@Interpath.com (Jimmy R. Floyd) (Jimmy R. Floyd)
Subject: NAQP Scores Compiled
Message-ID: <2.2.16.19960804202549.283f03b6@interpath.com>
I am compiling the NAQP CW scores and will have them on here by Monday
morning. Please excuse me but in the process of putting a new tower up.
73's Jim
**********************************************************
* Jimmy R. Floyd (Jim) Thomasville, NC *
* *
* Amateur Call: >> WA4ZXA << *
* Packet Node: >> N4ZC << *
* Internet Address: >> floydjr@interpath.com << *
**********************************************************
>From aa9ax@iglou.com (Steven Sample) Mon Aug 5 01:29:18 1996
From: aa9ax@iglou.com (Steven Sample) (Steven Sample)
Subject: NAQP CW - the "pse qsy" contest
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.960804202815.14209E-100000@iglou>
Ward:
That's why we like you so much, because you are really SMART! There is
something to say for this thread, really!!!
Tnx for the Q's.
Steve / AA9AX
On Sun, 4 Aug 1996, Ward Silver wrote:
>
> Didn't you know? It's the North American QSY Party!
>
> Maybe we need a "signal" to keep people from asking when you don't want to
> move. For example, in Sprint, we've gotten trained to send our call first
> when someone responds to our CQ and last when we're responding to a CQ.
> What could we send that means "NO QSY" when running that wouldn't slow us
> down?
>
> QSY etiquette? Only ask "QSY?" and let the requestee say "NO NA de ...."
> for a quick reply without losing the pile. If QSY is OK, then it goes,
> "QSY?" "OK" "21055" "R GG", which is a lot better than giving the whole
> request at once and doesn't drive away the pileup.
>
> 73, Ward N0AX
>
>
>From aa9ax@iglou.com (Steven Sample) Mon Aug 5 02:06:09 1996
From: aa9ax@iglou.com (Steven Sample) (Steven Sample)
Subject: NAQP CW - the "pse qsy" contest
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.960804205824.14209I-100000@iglou>
On Sun, 4 Aug 1996, Jeff Bouvier wrote:
> Fellow contesters,
> Some subjects are difficult to put in type without getting some
> folks upset but that's the way it goes. I guess you can't please all the
> people all of the time but I HAVE to unload.
> I enjoy the NAQP CW contest very much for a few reasons:
>
> 1) it's a CW contest
>
> 2) it's low power ( a lot less broad signals on the bands)
>
> 3) it's 10 hours ( I turned 51 last week) :-)
>
> One reason I get frustrated during this contest is the constant
> requests for qsy's to another band. I guess it was especially bad this year
> because ( I suspect ) I was the only RI station on during the contest.
> I started the contest late and decided not to put in a serious effort. I
> hate to say "no" to people so I did qsy at times for some of the requests
> and at times did not because every half dozen qso's someone would want me
> to move to some other band. It REALLY gets old very fast. Another thing I
> don't quite understand is the fact that so many are using 2 radios and they
> have to keep asking people to qsy. I was using 1 radio (my 2nd 940
> temporarily passed away), but whether I was using 1 or 2 radios does not
> matter. Requests for qsy's still break up any run I may be having and I
> really don't want to spend a contest qsy'ing every 5 minutes. Some folks
> asked me to go to bands that I knew there was no way we would make the qso
> (there was no prop to that part of the country). Others asked me to qsy
> without giving any callsign after one of my cq's. I would hit the cq button
> again and they would ask again.
> There is only 1 guy that I did not mind qsy'ing for and we hit all
> 6 bands. I owe him big-time.
> Now I can understand why some mults don't show up or make a brief
> appearance in some contests.
> The above comments are not aimed at any one person and I don't want
> anyone to take offense. All I'm asking is that you imagine yourself being
> asked every 6th, or so , qso to qsy to another band.
> Any comments are welcome but save the flames. ( I know I can leave
> the radio off but I enjoy contest operating as much as all of you)
> 73 to all,
> Jeff Bouvier k1iu@ids.net
*****************************************************************************
>
Jeff...
You did a great job in the test, but how can you expect people who
desperately need a multiplier to not ask? Anyone can see how it would be
annonying, so we see your point as well.
I think Ward / N0AX has hit upon a good idea or two...basically some way
of letting people know you won't QSY (difficult), or a really QUICK way of
asking to QSY. There also should be a really quick way of saying "NO"
(such as sending " _. ___ " without hurting people's feelings. I asked
you to QSY once or twice. You said "no", but were not offensive. I hated
to waste your time any more than my own. Some of us have limited antenna
resources, so a mult we can hear is valuable. (We don't win, but still owe
a full-faith effort to our teams!!!)
There is an answer here, and it should serve to keep guys like you from
getting pounded into the ground every time you are "rare".
I nominate Ward to chair a committee to come up with the "speed answers"
to solving this reasonable problem.
Be happy that you are sought after. It's a good thing!!!
73...
Steve / AA9AX > > > > >
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