DXCC? I've been a ham for over 55 years and a life member of the ARRL
for over 50 years. I don't even have WAS although It's most likely
because I've never tried nor had the Inclination. I came the closest to
WAS while as a Novice and my first year in the General class. OTOH
working from 6 different locations may have played a part as well. I
would like to get my CW speed back up to where it was at one time. Back
then, just listening to high speed CW was like listening to someone
talking. No way could I write that fast. A good CW copying program is
about the best I could hope for now.
"To me", Ham Radio has been about "getting things to work" and shooting
the breeze, rather than awards, or clubs. I get a station working and I
end up trying something else. I'll start listening to a contest, make a
few contacts and lose interest. I was far more active when I had
rudimentary equipment than with my current and fairly elaborate
stations. (SO2R)
I've never had an interest in digital form of communication as I have a
degree with work toward my masters in computer science. I spent years
working 10 to over 16 hours a day working with and on computers. Add to
that years as a computer systems project manager (IOW - getting things
to work) which meant quite a few years off-the-air.
I've had antennas that worked well (for me) and some that didn't. I
have been able to run A/B comparisons on a few over a number of years.
The A/B comparisons are a valid data point while all other antenna
performances are nothing more than an anecdotal report on those antennas
other than the shared dismal performance of multiband trap verticals.
Sure, people have worked many countries and states with them, but where
another reasonable alternative is available, they don't compare favorably.
OTOH any given antenna height is playing the odds. I like big antennas,
but "on paper" there is little difference between, 3,4, and 5 element
full size antennas. Antenna modeling based on physics still places odds
on the optimal antenna height, or any given height. Whether above or
below the calculated height by reasonable heights, there will be a time
when band conditions favor these heights over the statically derived
optimal antenna height for that band. Hence the big contesters run
antennas at multiple heights and diversity reception, selecting the
antenna with the strongest signal for the desired distance. I've wanted
one of these systems for years, but I have neither the land, nor the
budget to do more than imagine building a station like one of these I
have little desire to log into one of the "super stations" and play,
over the Internet.
In the end it comes down to having a good antenna at the right height,
at the right time, as well as operator skill.
--
73
Roger (K8RI)
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