Call me anal-retentive

[mikemr at microsoft.com]

Please, the cause of the WPX weekend's lousy band conditions was not
a "flare" but a hole in the sun's upper atmosphere (the corona) that
permits charged particles (solar wind) to escape from the denser
region of the sun, which interact with the earth's magnetic field
to cause geomagnetic storms. There hasn't been a major flare in
months, and the sun is essentially devoid of sunspots right now.
For more info, try the finger services "finger solar at xi.uleth.ca"
and "finger daily at xi.uleth.ca." The solar scientists call the
phenomenon a "recurrent coronal hole."


>From H. L. Serra" <hlserra at teetot.acusd.edu  Thu Jun  2 16:14:44 1994
From: H. L. Serra" <hlserra at teetot.acusd.edu (H. L. Serra)
Date: Thu, 2 Jun 1994 08:14:44 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Recruiting/Motivating New Contesters
Message-ID: <Pine.3.07.9406020844.D12474-b100000 at teetot.acusd.edu>


I disagree with AB6FO's premise that money is what motivates people across
the board, including in contesting. There are a lot of people in ham radio
just because it is a corinthian pursuit. Many of us became interested in
contesting because it was an intense way to improve skills,
equipment, antennas, and DXCC totals. I brought my high school ham buddy
NS2E (inactive for 6-7 years) to 6E2T this weekend and we discussed that two
years of contesting had resulted in more QSOs, countries, operating time,
technical proficiency and license upgrade than the previous 33 years of on
and off solo hamming. 

In short, I think interest is what brings new guys in.
Non-critical, easy contesting like Field Day or state QSO parties are good
starters, especially if the new guys are brought along without harsh
criticism. Some of the most fun I had starting up was the
Armadillo Run put on by Texas DX Society, K5RC and the gang. The
conditions were lousy, and the sigs not too strong, but I got a TX county
map and plotted two or three of the mobile stations I knew moving from
county to county. My score wasn't great, but they sent everybody a neat
color certificate for participating.

With my pal, who had not hammed in 6-7 years, and who was concerned that he
would slow us down, I sent a disk with CT MODOKI so he could practice the
hand-eye-ear skills before it got to contest time. It worked fine, and
after some initial trepidation, he was banging out Qs and protecting run
frequencies by Sat morning, and he wants to come back to do it again.

Anyway, I might be in favor of a prize, like a decent transceiver, that
would represent a quantum leap for a new contester, but not money. I think
in general that a more effective technique would be for each of us to 
show some sincere interest and spend the time to identify and bring one
new contester along through the ranks. You can't solve everything with a
check. 

73, Larry N6AZE


>From len at ariel.coe.neu.edu (Leonard Kay)  Thu Jun  2 16:46:43 1994
From: len at ariel.coe.neu.edu (Leonard Kay) (Leonard Kay)
Date: Thu, 02 Jun 1994 11:46:43 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Rustoleum
Message-ID: <9406021546.AA01260 at ariel.coe.neu.edu>

>>We have had great luck with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer on
>>rusty galvonized towers. A gallon in a sprayer does about 10
>>sections of Rohn 45. Takes 2 guys all day long though, and forget it on a
>>windy day, and its messy, and just take em to the galvanizing place. 
>>
>>Rustoleum top coats don't seem to last, even on top of fresh primer. 
>>
>>73
>>--
>>Steve Maki K8LX

I will second the Rusty Metal Primer -- works great, but I have a 
better application method: those furry gloves made specifically
for painting wrought iron work. Last time I painted the 30' rooftop
tower at our club station, it took me (1 person) about 2 hours. 
No spray waste either.

Remember to work from the top down. :-)

73, Len KB2R
len at ariel.coe.neu.edu

>From Dave Curtis <dcurtis at mipos2.intel.com>  Thu Jun  2 18:19:57 1994
From: Dave Curtis <dcurtis at mipos2.intel.com> (Dave Curtis)
Date: Thu, 2 Jun 94 10:19:57 PDT
Subject: Listen for NG0X/rover
Message-ID: <9406021719.AA01719 at climax.intel.com>


NG0X will be roving central California for the VHF QSO party. 
Send me your call for my "listen for" list!

Bands: 
  50 MHz, 50W + sqloop
  144 MHz, 25W + sqloop + 7 el. yagi
  432 MHz, 25W + 11 el. yagi
  Also monitoring 146/440 FM

This is the itinerary at this point, weather, mood, and
highway patrol allowing:

Start the contest in DM07,
roving DM06 and CM96 Saturday.
Hitting CM86 Sunday morning, and roving
CM87, CM97, and CM88 on Sunday.

73, Dave NG0X
dcurtis at mipos2.intel.com