Michael Coslo wrote:
>My experience has been different. I do often find that a lot of
>people think that you have to spend a lot of money to do well. While
>if all things are equal, the "hotter" setup" will outperform a more
>modest one. If I had to choose between the expensive setup or the hot
>Op, give me the good operator any day.
>
>
Amazingly enough, I agree with this. ;-) Gear without skills is pointless.
That doesn't mean I'm contradicting myself, because what you're saying
has nothing to do with what I said. What I said is, quite simply, it is
impossible for someone like me to operate SO2R without spending more
money. I have one radio, a couple of simple antennas, no bandpass
filtering, no switch box for the radios, yadda yadda yadda. I don't
care if I suddenly develop mad skills and turn in to Gawd's Gift to
Operators; if I don't have the equipment to operate SO2R, it is simply
impossible for me to operate SO2R. You dig?
>>Sure, SO2R also requires skill. But if you don't have the dosh to
>>build
>>what is essentially a second station, all the skill in the world isn't
>>worth a bucket of warm spit.
>>
>>
>
> Respectfully Bob, I have personal experience that the opposite is
>true. I have my home station, which would be considered okay, but
>nothing special, and access to a mountaintop station in a good
>location, and the difference in operating isn't as big as described.
>Probably the main difference is that my signal will be heard - i.e.
>it stomps on others, at the mountaintop station. That doesn't make up
>for operating skills though.
>
I appreciate your personal experience, even though it boggles my mind.
You're going to have to explain how you can operate equipment that
doesn't exist! Because that's what I was trying to express. :-)
To be crystal clear: I'm not denying that operator skill matters. Far
from it - a station full of the most expensive gear in the world isn't
going to make a good operator. A good operator can do well with
mediocre equipment. A better operator than I could come into my station
and do much better than the station owner in any given contest. But
there's no way in Hell he could operate SO2R without my buying - or him
bringing and installing - a lot more equipment than I already own.
That's it, that's all I was trying to say. Claiming that skill can
completely overcome a lack of equipment is bollocks. Partly, yes;
completely, no.
Cheers,
Bob NQ3X
P.S. Thanks for all of your hard work with the PA QSO Party! You rock!
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