New Categories - there go...

Tue Dec 12 00:34:22 EST 1995

We could just do categories like vanity callsigns - for $30, you can get your
own category. I'm planning mine now:

Single op kinda sorta only not category - 

Single op with antenna less than 25 feet high/power less than 100 watts/drank
more than 6 beers last night/operating less than 6 hours/assisted/10 and 15
meters only/phone (don't know the code)/
logged on a computer with an 80286 CPU or less/dog called CQ during off times
but made less than 10 QSOs.

This class would be available in all call areas except W1, where it would be
known as multi-multi to level the playing field.

It's like the man at the fair says - "Step right up, you're a winner every
time"...

I think I'll quit contesting and take up stock car racing. I'm gonna petition
NASCAR to create the 1974 Pinto category - Watch out Jeff Gordon!!

Happy holidaze...

Will

>From Tony and Celia Becker <becker at shell.portal.com>  Tue Dec 12 04:18:15 1995
From: Tony and Celia Becker <becker at shell.portal.com> (Tony and Celia Becker)
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 1995 23:18:15 -0500
Subject: ENFORCEMENT-HUMOR
Message-ID: <199512120718.XAA03719 at nova.unix.portal.com>

Some of the private email responses on my earlier posting reminded me of the
following story, which I adapt here for our avocation.  

Pastor Bob, K6PB, (an unissued call sign, I checked) was a brilliant
sermonizer, top-ten contester, and an avid DX er.  Over 25 years, Bob had
developed a loyal following in all of his passions.  Several deacons became
hams, and some served as operators in his big multi-multi contest efforts
from the ham shack just behind the church.

Having heard that the rare one highest on his most wanted list would be
active in the recent 160 meter contest, Bob set his mind to work him.  The
DX showed up right in the DX window, listening up 10 KHz, but the pile up
was deep and wide and neither Bob nor any of his deacons could break it. As
dawn passed, and the hour for the early Sunday service approached, the DX
announced that he was now listening on his own frequency only.  The chatter
on the local packet cluster died away and Bob was now alone.  He knew all
his devout parishioners would be in church soon.

Bob would not be denied, however, and determined to work him.  He flipped on
the secret switch and smiled as the Big Amp began to heat the early morning
air in the shack.  Bob telephoned his assistant pastor, said he had been up
all night and instructed him to give the sermons that morning.  As he sat
down at the 160 meter position, he heard the relays switch on the HIGH
VOLTAGE and noted with satisfaction that the lights dimmed nearly imperceptibly.

Pastor Bob continued his attempts to break the pile, this time in the DX WINDOW!

"Kilo Six Papa Bravo", intoned Pastor Bob, obliterating untold numbers of
insufferably polite and deserving DX callers.

Saint Peter, K6SP, (another unissued call sign, I checked) who had been
listening to these proceedings with increasing interest, picked up his hand
held and spoke briskly;

"K6JC (ditto) from K6SP.  Jesus, Pastor Bob is calling the DX in the window".

"K6SP from K6JC, yes Peter, I know, but don't you worry about it.  This too
will pass".

Peter grumbled and continued to listen.

Pastor Bob now shouted into the mike, "KILO SIX PAPA BRAVO", growing more
desperate and pushing the Big Needle to a unholy level.

"K6JC from K6SP.   Jesus, Pastor Bob is not only calling the DX in the
window but has just ionized the D layer for ten miles in all directions.
Not only that, but you know it's Sunday morning and he is should be in the
pulpit!  What are you going to do about it??"

"K6SP from K6JC.  Yes, yes Peter, I know, I know.  Don't let it rock you.
As our friend Isaiah has said, 'The crooked road shall become straight'".

Peter protested, "But Jesus, Pastor Bob is breaking all the rules and your
letting him get away with it"!!

"Hush now, Peter put up your sword.  K6JC standing by".

Peter now listened with even greater indignation, just as Pastor Bob
screamed, "PAPA BRAVO, PAPA BRAVO, PAPA BRAVO, KILO SIX PAPA BRAVO".  The
spindle in the rectory's power meter broke loose and clattered about the
inside of the glass dome, and the cross at the top of steeple developed a
beautiful blue corona.

The words of the rare one now fell on Pastor Bobs longing ears,

"Kilo Six Papa Bravo you're 59"...

Peter never even heard Pastor Bob complete the contact.  "K6JC / K6SP DID
YOU HEAR THAT???? NOW HE HAS WORKED HIM AND WILL BE NUMBER ONE ON THE HONOR
ROLL AND YOU LET HIM DO IT!!!!  HOW DO YOU EXPECT ANYONE TO FOLLOW THE RULES
WHEN YOU"...

Peters voice failed and his grip slackened on the PTT.  He was too upset to
speak.  The Pearly Gates repeater went "Beep" and the squelch tail died away. 

Finally, the His sweet voice brought the repeater back to life.

"Peter. Listen.  Who is he going to tell?"

AE0M, Tony Becker - becker at shell.portal.com - Silicon Valley, U.S.A.

>From Ray Rocker <rocker at datasync.com>  Tue Dec 12 07:29:12 1995
From: Ray Rocker <rocker at datasync.com> (Ray Rocker)
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 1995 01:29:12 -0600 (CST)
Subject: New Categories - there goes the neighborhood
Message-ID: <199512120729.BAA31042 at osh1.datasync.com>

> 1) My attitude is based on what I see as something detrimental to 
> the spirit of true competetion (in anything, not just contesting).  I don't 
> view it as positive.

I fail to see how these new categories are "detrimental to the spirit
of true competition". Are the top guns going to have to work any less 
hard to finish in the top ten? Are they going to feel slighted by the
fact that their underexperienced and underequipped brethren are in
different categories now? I think not.

In a purely domestic contest this argument might hold water. Not in WPX.

> 2) When I'm operating I have a pretty good idea of all the similarly 
> equipped stations out there,  I don't need a category to list 'em all.  

How? I have no clue who is operating with similar hardware as me
except those relative few who post their station descriptions here
on cq-contest or send me QSL cards with that info on them.

> However, I didn't want to compare myself with those similary equipped, I 
> wanted to take on all stations in my category.  I get satisfaction from 
> trying to operate my way past better equipped stations (and not be 
> outdone by those less equipped).

That's great...and I'm sure the CQ people won't have a problem if
you want to enter the big gun class even if you qualify for one of
the others. Some of us DO want to compare ourselves with those 
similarly equipped. 

To be sure, the best solution for me (and I've brought this up before)
would be to have an encoded string describing each entrant's antenna
configuration right there in the line score, and I could compare 
my score to my peers (hardware wise) myself without additional
categories being necessary. That is easier said than done though.
I'm just glad they are doing what they can.

-- 
Ray Rocker ... WQ5L             
Pass Christian, Mississippi, USA
rocker at datasync.com             
http://www.datasync.com/~rocker 

>From James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com>  Tue Dec 12 06:31:00 1995
From: James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com> (James White)
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 95 01:31 EST
Subject: No subject
Message-ID: <92951212063129/0006492564PK3EM at MCIMAIL.COM>

Subject: 10M contest: Novies and Techs-NOT

de K1ZX/4

I made at least 20 looks in the slow and novice segments this past
weekend, even calling cq at slow speeds....did not hear a single
signal there, at all! Several times I had the TS430 sweep-tuning
the recommended segment.

I never heard you, KC4UCK/T, it was SO slow this weekend I would
have welcomed every QSO including yours! With on again off again
openings I worried about missing people and did a little more S&P
than I normally would (this comment aimed at K3ZO) - I was too
afraid I'd miss somebody be they casual entrant who after fifteen
minutes of boredom bagged it for the weekend, or someone who I
could only work on the current propogation's mode of the
moment...and would that propagation come back????????

The meteor bursts were so pronounced on Friday night I questioned
if it was an antenna problem or perhaps a receiver problem with
AGC...in my years of playing contest I never have heard such an
exagerated  phenomenon - they were there at a solid s7 -OR- they
were gone completely, it was really kinda neat. These guys with
the "your call de my call, ur 5 ----. ----. in NY NY" were not
meant for meteor work! Before the contest I decided to use the
portable four (/4) on my callsign, something I almost never do.
Why this weekend? Sheerely because it was the bottom of the cycle
and I hoped the /4 would encourage beaming South if there were
frustrated attempts to work me. I know, I know, you probably
couldn't work me and will alligatorize me anyways. Anyhow, the /4
addition to my callsign's length proved a hindrance during the
shower...my CQs were too long, for a moment I considered dropping
the "suffix", but figured I would be flamed on the reflector on
Monday.

Conditions stank, but they were very interesting. Saturday
afternoon I used my will over propagation aqnd pointed the beam at
the Pacific after going for over a half an hour without any
QSOs-sure enough VK4XA called...of course, then I spent another
half hour CQing thataways with no results. VK2BPK, and a ZL called
me on Sunday but no KH6s or any other Pacific were worked. One
Italian patiently waited for about five turnovers for me to get
his call, and CT1BOH called in from EU. Several ZSes for Africa,
and a dismal showing of about ten QSOs from South America - guess
they were all on "the phone". 

States missed: KH6/KL7 (of course), New Mexico (bannanna?),
Wyoming (WS7E??????????), and North Dakota.....for such a lousy
weekend of propagation I guess 45 states wasn't too shabby.

W1YL helped with the boredom of a very unproductive Sunday by
passing through the shack about every hour or so with either some
soup, some sweets or a sandwich....Thanks Mom! W1CW passed through
the shack a coupla times on Sunday and saw the same calls on the
screen of NA, each time looking at me in puzzlement - yes, Dad -
its that bad! I pretty much so gave up on the band at Sunday about
two hours before the end of the contest (like WC4E and N4BP did -
funny thing how that happened, all of us simultaneously
disgusted)...I watched a little TV in the living room, Wesley
Snipes was after some parachuting bad guys..with an hour to go I
figured I should check the band for those Sunday last minute
types, just in case.

Boy, imagine my surprise when the band was "full" of Northeastern
signals...I immediately started calling CQ and had a last hour of
60...mind you ALL of Sunday was about 125 QSOs total! Now I am
kicking myself for missing the "beginning" of that ending
opening....I was away from the rig for over 45 minutes...when did
it start....would I have..... Whatever, unfortunately for Jeff
WC4E - he packed up his gear and left host AC4NJ's at 22:30,
probably costing him first place again...maybe I'll start calling
Jeff "deux" ("dos" is already taken).

I couldn't believe the 3830 number from K4VUD, 700 QSOs....Charlie
had bypass surgery last month - is this guy a contest animal or
what!!! 

Thanks to everyone for the QSOs, especially those who hung in
there on the repeats. Time for a contest breather....unfortunately
the nice next door neighbor to W1CW/W1YL has both stereo and
telephone RFI - that appears to be our next project. This guy is
nice - don't want to make an enemy of him. I told this to WC4E
today and he asked me if I logged him this weekend - dunno about
you 'phone guys. I have a posting in my email folder regarding
telephone RFI problems - from K3ZO if memory serves...if you have
a text you have found useful in helping you when troubleshooting
stereo interference I would appreciate your letting me know it!
That guy next door runs a very major audio system, including
sub-woofers w/amps which may have come from Lousiana, if you get
my drift....snicker.  

Got my new CQ Contest magazine today (great articles from Willy,
Rich and Ville...still have the rest to read - nice kickoff issue
'EST/'AR, keep it up)........and, at longlast the mailman also
brought my FCC 1070-V/610-V (courtesy ARRL). Who knows, I may
finally have that much anticipated "four-call" for next contest
season.....c'mon Gate 2!

                       Seasons Greetings!   Peace

                Jim, K1ZX (sometimes /4)   k1zx at mcimail.com       

>From beaton at wintermute.co.uk (Alastair Beaton)  Tue Dec 12 12:22:18 1995
From: beaton at wintermute.co.uk (Alastair Beaton) (Alastair Beaton)
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 1995 12:22:18 GMT
Subject: New Categories - there goes the neighbourhood
Message-ID: <199512121222.MAA17532 at oberon.wintermute.co.uk>

Hi folks,

        Instead of introducing ever-less-meaningful contest categories, it
might be an idea to try adding some kind of code to each score to indicate
the gear used. eg:

        4Y (4-el Yagi); 4Y4 (4x4-elYagi); 4Q (4-el Quad)
        1 (at 10ft)... 19 (at 190ft)
        Q (QRP); B (barefoot 100W); H (half-gallon, 500W); F (full power 1.5kW)

        something like: 40m: 5102/1975/26/83 - 3Y/120/F

        The RSGB tried something like this but seems to have given up. Too
much hard work? If it's part of the "declaration" it's no great hassle.

        This way people can compare "like with like" (whatever that means)
without going down the road to "S/O Vaguely-assisted, Volvo-owner, Trio user
with 811A amp but quite a decent antenna, a bit drunk and sleepy, dog was
ill so not as good as last year" categories. 

73, Merry Xmas, Happy New Year, etc.
Al, GM4BAP

>From sneader at mail.ctenet.com (Scott Neader, KA9FOX)  Wed Dec 13 02:50:09 1995
From: sneader at mail.ctenet.com (Scott Neader, KA9FOX) (Scott Neader, KA9FOX)
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 1995 21:50:09 -0500
Subject: TG9AJR gets married
Message-ID: <v02110100acf3eccf845f@[198.150.237.42]>

Got a note from Juan, TG9AJR, saying that he is back from his honeymoon in HK.

For those of you who sent him a message of congratulations:

>i got some nice e-mail msg thru internet for my wedding ! nice !
>THANKS GUYS, AND YES I WILL BE ON THE CONTESTS.

What?  You guys think that just because he got married he wouldn't be on
for the contests?  Well, I just got married and I... er, I... hmmmm, maybe
you're right!  :-)

- Scott, KA9FOX
(planning on CQ 160 SSB SO and ARRL DX SSB SOAB from TG... "Honey, can I
PLEEEZE go to Guatemala???")

/^^\__________     Scott Neader, KA9FOX
\~~/          \         E-MAIL:  sneader at mail.ctenet.com
 \/\____,(  /\ |      WEB SITE:  http://www.infoanalytic.com/ka9fox/
   / \    \/| \|       ADDRESS:  3323 South 29th St., La Crosse, WI 54601
   |  \   / |            PHONE:  Work: (608)796-5032   Home: (608)788-8889

>From George Cook (AA3JU)" <george at epix.net  Tue Dec 12 16:30:09 1995
From: George Cook (AA3JU)" <george at epix.net (George Cook (AA3JU))
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 1995 11:30:09 -0500 (EST)
Subject: New Catagories  Bleachhhh!
Message-ID: <199512121630.LAA07957 at epix.net>