Actually Jim old boy, I have. I have been a Frankford RC member for 43 years
and have operated from many M/M and M/S stations both in the US and as DX.
I have a good idea what goes into it and have helped troubleshoot problems, fix
rigs and amps and helped with antennas (from the ground as I get a nosebleed
when I stand on a chair, LOL) from various of those stations. I know and have
worked with W2VJN who I would say knows a bit about interstation interference,
hi hi. I have never built a M/M myself as I don't have the QTH, resources or
inclination. Certainly, it's a lot of work and remoting it makes things that
much more difficult (though that's much easier now than it was, say, 15 years
ago).
What's sad in my view, is that in my M/M and M/S experiences, one of the
greatest parts was getting together with the ops I was friends with that, due
to time, distance or both, I didn't get to see much. The contest was fun, but
the comradery was even more so. Just like when you ask most retired Major
League players what they miss most, it is the locker room and their
ex-teammates.
I work in audio myself at CBS-TV in NYC in a television (audio and video)
network studio and distribution facility, so I have a bit of an idea what is
involved to design a complex facility :)
And I make my own cables, thank you.
Best, Kevin K3OX
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Brown" <jim@audiosystemsgroup.com>
To: topband@contesting.com
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2015 12:49:28 PM
Subject: Re: Topband: Brave New World
On Thu,2/26/2015 7:29 AM, kolson@rcn.com wrote:
> Sometimes it's more in how things are presented. The thing that struck me was
> how the ARRL looked at it was some kind of triumphant feat when it struck me
> as, ultimately, kind of sad.
Have you ever visited a multi-transmitter contesting station? Do you
have any idea of the engineering it took to build it and make it
competitive? We're talking antenna system design, careful engineering
and filtering to allow multiple transmitters at high power to not
interfere with others at the same QTH, power distribution for those
transmitters, an acoustic operating environment that permits all those
guys to be running SSB in the same room without going nuts?
Do you have any idea of the systems engineering needed to remote a
single station? I'm an EE, designed complex audio systems in my
professional life. I've looked at what it would take to remote my
station and quickly decided that it was WAY too much work. Heck -- it
takes much of my time keeping my station running for me to sit in front
of. Among other things, you've got to goof-proof the control systems so
that you don't fry your gear (and Mr. Rodman described). Multiply that
by 5 or 6 stations, and that's a very serious accomplishment. THAT is
ham radio.
Sitting in front of a radio that you bought, set on a table, and hooked
up to an antenna that you bought with pre-made cables that you bought is
a lot closer to CB than ham radio.
73, Jim K9YC
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