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Re: [TowerTalk] Remote Ham Radio (and hard work)

To: TOWERTALK@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Remote Ham Radio (and hard work)
From: Cqtestk4xs@aol.com
Date: Sun, 4 Aug 2013 13:48:08 -0400 (EDT)
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I've busted my butt building several superstations.  Yes, it  is gratifying 
to work that new one with the station I built.  Yes, it's fun  busting the 
pileup on the first call with the station I built.  
 
Let's look at the guys who may not be physically capable or may be  QTH 
challenged.  Don't they deserve a chance to drive an Indy 500  station?  No, 
they didn't build it, but hey...it's fun to drive.  
 
Many top shelf ops guest op at stations because they fall into the  above 
categories... physically unable to build a station and/or QTH challenged  in 
a condo etc.
 
Bill K4XS/KH7XS
 
 
In a message dated 8/4/2013 4:43:09 P.M. Coordinated Universal Time,  
K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net writes:

On  8/4/2013 11:30 AM, Jorge Diez - CX6VM wrote:
> Hi Jim
>
>  "Yep, the best DXCC and contest scores that money can buy!"  Are you  
talking
> about the big and expensive contest stations around the world,  included 
in
> USA? It might be offended by this, have spent much money  on their 
stations
> :-)  (just a joke)
>
> How much  cost your station?. This is how much you paid for your DXCC. I
> don´t  want to think how much cost my station!, this is what I pay for my
>  DXCC and contest scores!
>
> Everyone "pay" for DXCC, I don´t know  anyone that didn´t spend money, 
even
> to build their own radio and  antenna, you always need to buy parts, so 
this
> comment makes little  sense.

Good point Jorge and as I did my own tower work, if I count my  time as 
being worth just minimum wage (and we know tower climbers get more  than 
that...A lot more than that) then my antenna system is worth many  tens 
of thousands of dollars.  I have a lot more time/dollars in the  station 
than outright money.

>
Taking up the  tribander
http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/TOWER24.HTM

>  I'm not talking about your case or mine that we are fortunate to be able 
 to
> put towers and antennas, but as is you've said, there are people  who 
cannot
> install their antennas restrictions. So this is a  opportunity for some 
guys,
> I didn´t say that ALL people will do radio  from this site!

My favorite photo   http://www.rogerhalstead.com/ham_files/Tower29.htm
>
> And also  agree with you that is great the personal satisfaction of 
operate
> the  station I built, I can talk about that, but from this side of the  
world
> where the population is very small, we do wells by hand with a  shovel,

They won't even allow dug wells in this area.
but when I was  a kid our neighbor had one.
we
> raise the antennas and towers  with ropes and manpower, not with 
bulldozers
> and cranes that make the  job quite very easy :-)

That is the way I did my entire station and I  get as much satisfaction 
(maybe more)from building towers, installing  antennas, and getting the 
working as I want, as I do from making  QSOs.

It's those cold winter nights with the snow drifting and the  roads 
closed, that I enjoy sitting in front of the rig and easily making  
contacts.

Hot summer days too, but they just make me  lazy.
>
> I just pointed that there´s a site that will be useful  for someone.
>

However I'm getting ready to install an LM470  crank up. I'm welding the 
tower mounts and building the rebar cage and  will probably need to get 
some help holding things in place while wiring  and likely welding, but I 
have given up and hired a contractor to install  the base and place the 
tower so it's ready for me to raise. I have a  volunteer who is willing 
to dig the hole and may do that, before getting  the contractor to set 
the base/rerod cage.

Unfortunately I only  have one good working hand and arm. They are 
improving, but there is still  no fine motor control and little strength. 
So, I now have to call  on the local Hams , or hire things done.  I 
have found many willing  hands.

Most of the antennas are down for maintenance at present and  when I look 
at that 100' 45G, I often wish I had put up a big crank up  instead. Then 
I realize at that point I would have been hard pressed to  afford a crank 
up equivalent to the capacity and height of the 45G and  would have 
needed a lot more help and concrete. <:-))

OTOH   I do know one local ham who made top of the honor roll with a 
modest  station. Yes he had a good transceiver and amp, but IIRC he only 
had a 60'  25G with a tribander and wire antennas.  His was a combination 
of  timing, skill, and patience.

I hope to have the tribander on the LM470  with the 7L 6-meter beam and 
the 40M3-125 on the 45G, so I can just sit  back and operate this winter. 
<:-))

73,

Roger  (K8RI)

> 73,
> Jorge
>  CX6VM/CW5W
>
>
>
>
> -----Mensaje  original-----
> De: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com]  En nombre de Jim
> Brown
> Enviado el: domingo, 04 de agosto de  2013 03:51
> Para: towertalk@contesting.com
> Asunto: Re:  [TowerTalk] Remote Ham Radio
>
> On 8/2/2013 2:55 PM, Jorge Diez -  CX6VM wrote:
>> You can easily get DXCC on all bands and break big  pile ups!
>> Incredible for daily DX
>
> Yep, the best  DXCC and contest scores that money can buy!
>
> As I see it, DX  and contesting achievements are at least as much the 
result
> of  building a station. I've operated a major contest from a pretty good
>  station in PJ4, but I wouldn't say that it's any better than the one I  
built
> with help from my friends. But location matters -- 90+% of the  contacts 
are
> with a different continent, with a great shot to both NA  and EU. Rent a 
QTH
> and you can set a world record. Ditto for places  like EA8, Azores, etc.
>
> Yes, you can get great QSO/hour rates  at places like this, but I get FAR
> more personal satisfaction  operating the station I built, building my
> operating skills, and  turning in better scores each year. I have a lot 
more
> respect for  someone who and build AND operate that station than for 
someone
> who  simply buys time at someone else's station.Jorge
>
> Not to take  anything away from those who are stuck in real estate where 
they
>  simply cannot do anything with antennas. We've all been there, and this  
sort
> of thing could be an opportunity for those folks. BUT -- how  about 
getting
> together with your club and building a great CLUB  station that you can 
come
> an operate? You can learn from the process  of building it, and take 
pride in
> what you (and your cohorts) have  built. THAT'S the true spirit of ham 
radio.
>
> 73, Jim  K9YC
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