those "rare" packet mults

[N0bsh at aol.com]

At W0AIH last Feb. for ARRL DX CW we kept a list of all the busted calls that
were put out on the cluster.  I think we ended up with somewhere around 35 -
40 calls.  When you contest from northern Wisconsin you find stuff like this
to amuse you during the "other" 30 hours when the bands aren't open.

5H2PK (HH2PK) was especially "active" that weeekend.  That's only fair I
guess because the year before I think it was HH3XX (5H3XX) that was on.   But
probably my favorite was the persistent spotting of A58? (some AH8 but I
don't remember the exact call.)  I wonder to this day how many guys really
thought they worked Bhutan on 80!!  I wish I could remember more of them
because there were some doozies.

It's pretty obvious that some guys just don't *think* when they put out
spots.  Most likely all but the newest ham - at least of those inclined to be
connected to a cluster - would know that it's unlikely that someone would be
on 80 during a major contest from Bhutan (and have a "special" A58 callsign
to boot.)  And especially at 0700 - 0800Z  where, last time I checked, the
Bhutanese(?) would probably be catching a few rays.  Yet a lot of these spots
were from dudes that have been around awhile and should have known better.

The most frustrating part was having all these bogus calls filling up my
packet window.  We didn't have the version of CT (or was it the know-how?)
that would let you blow unwanted stuff out of the window.

I like K3NA's idea.  I may try that next time.  I already have visions   of
"cluster hounds" going berserk 'cuz - oh no!! - they have to actually
listen!!   :-)  :-)

In retrospect, all this provided hours of comic relief for the 'AIH
night-time crew (all 2 of us.)  One of the ops contemplated posting our list
(with calls of offending spotters) on the cluster but don't know if he
followed through.  See everyone in CQWW SSB from
PJ87... I mean PJ8Z (we hope).  But wait... this is a phone contest... 
TJ8Z!!!  :-)

73,  Mike  N0BSH
n0bsh at aol.com


>From jholly at hposl42.cup.hp.com (Jim Hollenback)  Mon Aug 15 20:11:37 1994
From: jholly at hposl42.cup.hp.com (Jim Hollenback) (Jim Hollenback)
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 1994 12:11:37 -0700
Subject: packet spots - what else?
Message-ID: <9408151211.ZM6635 at hpwsmjh.cup.hp.com>


My packet pet peeve are the spots made by someone wandering by and 
spots the responder to the big guns CQ. I guess that is to let the
community that their around. 

And for N0BSH ... you mean I won't get my QSL for that A58? Jeez, I
REALLY needed that one! :-) 

Jim, WA6SDM
jholly at cup.hp.com