Frank, thanks for the great summary and wonderful memories of Gene.
Indeed the octopus was the bane of FD for the 1-2 and 3 transmitter
categories at least. Putting a stake in its heart was one of the crowning
achievements of the CAC back in the day. That along with defining (for the
first time) the disqualification criteria and creating the 10 meter contest
-- all items I and the other members of the CAC were proud of.
I well remember the scene. It was the first hour of FD. My club, Conn
Wireless Assn (CWA) was running 9 transmitters in the 3 transmitter class.
Here is one of the three station setups with W1BGD, K1WJD and K1VR all
sitting down for a fast hour. The way the octopus worked was if any of the
3 were transmitting, the other two were locked out. If needed, you could
hit the crash button to break the lock so you could save a QSO, much to the
ire of the guy who had the key at the time. Now with three top cw ops and
fresh meat for QSOs, someone was going to be on the short end of the line.
It turned out that K1VR, who was new to our FD, was the odd man out to his
great frustration. If you had a 30 hour under such conditions you had a
huge hour! It was critical that all the ops be good friends because after
an hour like this, friendships were tested, sometimes to the staining point.
Fortunately, those friendships endure, even today.
In the end, it was the inventor, W2ADE, who calmly came around to the
stations on the last Sunday morning of the octopus, and calmly cut all the
wires. Ding dong, the 'pus was dead. I and the other members of CAC set
about to write a rule that would make this death permanent.
Pete, W1RM
-----Original Message-----
From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
donovanf@starpower.net
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 2:51 PM
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Cc: K5WA
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Field Day SO2R
" A co uple of years ago, someone put an idiotic rule into FD which says no
"octopus" can be used at FD "
A little fact checking is in order...
That rule has been in place for at least forty five years! See the rules for
the
1970 Field Day. The rule was put in place because of the use of octupuses by
at least one entrant in the 1A category.
http://www.arrl.org/arrl-periodicals-archive-search
73
Frank
W3LPL
----- Original Message -----
From: "K5WA" <K5WA@Comcast.net>
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 3:21:25 PM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Field Day SO2R
Jim,
A couple of years ago, someone put an idiotic rule into FD which says no
"octopus" can be used at FD. This had to be a politically motivated rule
which kills some aspects of innovation at FD (which is an event FOR
innovation at multiple levels) and was probably targeted at one cross-town
rival of the rule writer. So, if you follow that vaguely written, poorly
worded "rule" for this non-contest, you would have to go 2A to comply. Now,
if you just happen to have a fast antenna switch that doesn't say "Octopus"
or "Simulcaster" on the side of it, then SO2R your little self away. ;-)
Line 4 in the ARRL FD rules.
The use of switching systems that allow for lockouts in order to use
multiple transmitters (i.e., an "octopus") in an attempt to enter a
lower-number-of-transmitters class are prohibited (i.e. using 2 transmitters
that can transmit simultaneously, with two operators, and a lock-out system
and entering class 1A). The use of simulcasting devices which allow a single
operator to key and transmit on more than one transmitter at a time, is
prohibited.
Have fun at FD. We'll see you as K5TU this year if the Texas floods and 105
degree heat doesn't get us.
Bob K5WA
Message: 10
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2015 16:06:36 -0700
From: Jim Brown <k9yc@audiosystemsgroup.com>
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Field Day SO2R
Message-ID: <557F5A7C.80502@audiosystemsgroup.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
A small group of us have been doing FD QRP 1A Battery for several years, and
I've recently considered doing it SO2R. The question is, does SO2R put me in
1A or 2A if there's only a single operator and software insures that one one
radio can transmit at the same time?
73, Jim K9YC
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