In a message dated 12/2/04 1:19:57 PM Greenwich Standard Time,
asciibaron@comcast.net writes:
my local barometer is W3LL, but he doesn't know it. in the last few
contests i have worked, i have used his score as an incentive to increase my
skills
and signal. a look at the WCSdB shows he is working with wires at 50 for the
various bands. even if the dipoles were setup as static beams in the
trees, he manages to do very well (imo) with the wires and a non contest
radio.
An interesting thought. Once upon a time we big guns were little pistols.
I, and I imagine most of the big guns, can remember looking at the scores and
wondering how someone could wind up with 2000 qsos in SS. There was no way
I could make top ten in any contest.
So...... I started thinking. If station who was a big gun was making 2000
qsos in a contest and I was using a tribander at 40 feet, I was quite happy to
wind up with half his score. Did I beat my last years score? Great, I'm
improving! Did I beat K4XYZ 50 miles away from me with the same little pistol
setup?....Super!
Even now, as a guy with a very nice station, I still do that. Lately, most
of my DX contest have been single band efforts. But, how did I stack up
against the M/Ms on a single band efforts, and how did I compare to my last
years
score?
You see, of course it's nice to win your category or even be in the top ten
However, it is about finding reasonable score goals, reasonably equal
stations to compare yourself to, and most importantly to compete with
yourself. I
really believe that is the most important thing in becoming a good contester.
Ask yourself, suppose KE3Q had operated my tribander at 40 feet station in
SS, would he have outscored my effort? If I had operated at KQ2M's station In
WW, could I have gotten his score? If your efforts are not up to their
hypothesized efforts, start working at improving your skills. Practice you
SO2R
skills. Do more research on past station's efforts, including your own.
Work at getting your code speed up. Talk to the big guns at Dayton. Picks
their brains.
Station hardware is important, but the most important piece of equipment at
your station is sitting between the left and right earpiece of your headphones
By the way, although the mighty usually win, sometimes David DOES beat
Goliath......but only with some real skill involved.
Bill K4XS
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