Shack Suggestions?

[Tom Morrison]

> you find that you are sweating!
...
>  I kind of  like to see the sunrise and sunset, just to know
>  it is still going on out  there!
...
> Randy, K5ZD

>From one who knows: when Randy sweats, you don't wanna be 
around.

When he operated at my place, he DID have a window.  You woulda 
thought he saw that thunderstorm coming before the headphones got 
blown off his head.  [Randy, my mom STILL talks about the look on 
your face after the lightning bolt!]

73, 
Tom, K5TM

----
Tom Morrison   thm at rmc.liant.com
Liant Software Corporation
8911 Capital of Texas Highway North
Austin, TX  78759
(512) 343-1010 FAX 343-9487

>From gjk at hogpa.ho.att.com (Gerald J Kersus)  Fri Mar 25 15:55:03 1994
From: gjk at hogpa.ho.att.com (Gerald J Kersus) (Gerald J Kersus)
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 94 10:55:03 EST
Subject: WPX callsign rules
Message-ID: <9403251555.AA22161 at hogpc.ho.att.com>

Looking at the rules, the only mention of signing portable is in section
VII, Part A: "...A station operating from a DXCC country different from
that indicated by its callsign is required to sign portable."  Rules go on
to give examples, but there is no mention of different call areas within a
country.  Last year, NC1A and I operated from my station here in NJ and didn't
sign (or get listed as) "/2".


Gerry, W1GD (not portable two)


>From bhorn at netcom.com (Bruce Horn)  Fri Mar 25 16:33:26 1994
From: bhorn at netcom.com (Bruce Horn) (Bruce Horn)
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 1994 08:33:26 -0800
Subject: Regional Top 5 Boxes
Message-ID: <199403251633.IAA09198 at mail.netcom.com>


Regarding Jeff, KR0Y, feeling that the top 10 box is all that counts and that regional top
 5 boxes essentially reward mediocrity:

I understand Jeff's position.  He is a world class operator who has been successful against 
the best competition.  Once you've reached the top, you're not going to be satisfied with 
lesser competition.  Sort of like a professional athlete at the top of his game is not going 
to be thrilled by winning an amateur championship.

That's fine that Jeff doesn't feel honored by being listed in a regional top 5 box with what
he feel's is a non-competitive score.  However, I believe the regional top 5 boxes will be a
 successful motivational tool for contesters working their way up.  It fits nicely into the
 progression of recognition that the ARRL awards in their contests.

Let me use my personal experience as an example.  Although licensed since 1963, I had
 only a total of a little over 500 QSOs between 1963 and 1990.  I wasn't very active!  In
 September of 1990 I got back on the air after an eight year absence with an ICOM 765 
transceiver and a Cushcraft R-3 vertical.  Since I was interested in chasing DX, I decided 
to enter the CQWW SSB contest of October 1990 to work new countries.  This is the first
 contest I had ever entered.  My score wasn't much, but I increased my country total by 
about 25.

Continuing this idea of working new ones, I entered the ARRL DX SSB contest in March
 of 1991.  Again using the same low power/vertical setup.  Much to my surprise I got a
 first place certificate for the Los Angeles section in my category.  Did I think I was a hot 
contester ?  Of course not.  I figured everyone else had used high power, gone on 
DXpeditions or had not seriously operated.  But it was still nice to get some recognition
 for my efforts.  Did I compare my score to the top 10 list.  Yeah, for about 2 seconds.
  My competitive area was Los Angeles.  I didn't think beyond that.

In 1992 I again participated in the ARRL DX SSB contest in the same category with a 
barefoot transceiver and a new antenna:  a Cushcraft R-7 vertical.  Some improvement, 
huh ?  Again, I was amazed to get a first place certificate for my category in the LAX 
section.  Did I now think I was a hot shot contester ?  Of course not.  I couldn't believe 
my section was that non-competitive.  However, I now looked around to see how my 
score compared to my division competition.

In 1993 I entered the ARRL DX contest knowing that the local contesters had finally 
figured out that the low power category was of interest.  Sure enough, I got trounced.  
Did I feel bad ?  Did I want to give up contesting ?  No, I wanted some decent antennas.  
In 1994 I finally got to operate this contest with a tower and beams for the high bands.  
Although I don't know the result yet, my score should be very competitive at the regional 
level, and maybe with a lot of luck make the top 10 nationally.  Then again it may not.

My point is that the regional top 5 box is a natural progression of the ARRL recognizing 
section winners and division winners.  It gives something to aim for between a division 
win and national recognition.  It encourages inexperienced contesters (like me) to strive 
for the next level, and it provides recognition for those outstanding operators who are 
geographically challenged (except for those rare occasions of unusual propagation).

Keep the national top 10 box and continue the trend to add regional top 5 boxes.

73 de Bruce, WA7BNM  (bhorn at netcom.com)

>From alan at dsd.es.com (Alan Brubaker)  Fri Mar 25 16:34:43 1994
From: alan at dsd.es.com (Alan Brubaker) (Alan Brubaker)
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 94 09:34:43 MST
Subject: Signing portable in WPX.
Message-ID: <9403251634.AA28706 at dsd.ES.COM>


I don't know about anyone else, but I will tell you why I
make it a point to sign /7 in the WPX and other contests.
First of all, if I didn't, I would just be another K6, and
who wants to work another K6? Secondly, I believe that
having a 7 somewhere in your call is worth at least 5 db.
Listen for Mark, KA1ODA, at the controls of K6XO/7 this
weekend, probably doing 15 meters single band. Good luck.

Alan, K6XO/7

alan at dsd.es.com

>From Steven.M.London at att.com (Steven M London +1 303 538 4763)  Fri Mar 25 16:55:00 1994
From: Steven.M.London at att.com (Steven M London +1 303 538 4763) (Steven M London +1 303 538 4763)
Date: 25 Mar 94 16:55:00 GMT
Subject: Single-Multi
Message-ID: <9403251650.AA05640 at bighorn.dr.att.com>

I have been stewing for a while, thinking about the "new level" to which
Single op-Multi transmitter has progressed.

For those of you who don't understand, here's the basic strategy for
single/multi in 1994:  Virtually all the time you are listening on one
band (even while copying the other guy's exchange), you are sending CQ on
another band.  You are never actually transmitting simultaneously on two
bands, but your "exposure" to other stations who are in hunt-and-pounce
mode has been greatly increased.  This works best when the rate is
moderately high (Sprint, east coast-to-EU, etc.).

How did we get here ?

This seems to be an (un)natural evolution from the "older" single op-2nd
radio operating.  I first became conscious of the use of the 2nd radio around
1978 (thanks to W2GD).
It's CW SS on Sunday afternoon.  While sending an endless succession
of CQ's on one band, you can use the 2nd radio to hund-and-pounce on
another band.  When I became aware of "2nd radio" use in SS, my
first reaction was that this greatly increases the station requirements,
effectively cutting out the medium-gun station from serious competition.
However, after further thought, I discovered that the additional hardware
requirements could be met rather easily - I borrowed a Drake TR-4, a
Heathkit keyer, and a 14AVQ trap vertical.  Good enough for hunting-and-pouncing
on a 2nd band.  Doable by any semi-serious competitor.

Now, back to 1994 and single/multi....

You now need two complete stations, both producing a commanding signal - You
aren't going to get too many answers to those "2nd band" CQ's with 100 watts
to a vertical !  You also need the right software to keep things straight.
(unless you are KR0Y, in which case the software between the ears handles
it all better than any computer !).

Admittedly, there aren't very many of us doing 1994-style single/multi...yet !
However, we have "upped the ante".  Just as the 1980's-style 2nd radio has
now become the norm, the 1994 single/multi will soon be a requirment for a
top-10 score.

I am not suggesting that we try to stop progress.  But I am concerned that
the need for so much hardware will discourage up-and-coming contesters.

Steve, N2IC/0

>From Rick, K7GM" <AONISWAN at ECUVM.CIS.ECU.EDU  Fri Mar 25 18:56:42 1994
From: Rick, K7GM" <AONISWAN at ECUVM.CIS.ECU.EDU (Rick, K7GM)
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 94 13:56:42 EST
Subject: portable ?

     My reading of the rules says that I don't have to sign portable
as long as I am in my DXCC country.  I agree with K6XO.  A seven in the
call is worth something.  I don't plan on signing portable unless someone
tells me that I am reading something wrong in the WPX rules.

                   Rick, K7GM