Top 10 things that happen when conditions suck

[KA9FOX at aol.com]

Ok, the reflector is a little slow, so I hope you all don't mind the
bandwidth... here's my little stab at some humor.

Top 10 things that happen when conditions suck

10) CT says you have more off-time than on-time.
9)  You can't hear WWV on any band to check the numbers.
8)  You're leafing through the "Fredericks of Hollywood" catalog, again.
7)  Even an Italian 300 watts can't make the trip on 10 meters.
6)  Big gun contesters on the east coast are sleeping in.
5)  Big gun contesters on the east coast are quitting.
4)  You're playing with packet cluster.
3)  As you leaf thru old QSTs and CQs, your eyes begin to tear
       as you scan the scores from a few years ago.
2)  You have this blank stare as you listen to the Caribbean guys
       running Europe on 10 meters.
1)  Your screen saver keeps kicking in.

David Letterman I ain't.

Happy New Year all!

Scott KA9FOX
ka9fox at aol.com

(Sorry, won't be on for NAQPs... thing with new YL is FB!!!!)

>From Steve Sacco <0006901972 at mcimail.com>  Wed Jan  4 21:45:00 1995
From: Steve Sacco <0006901972 at mcimail.com> (Steve Sacco)
Date: Wed, 4 Jan 95 16:45 EST
Subject: A/B Coax Switches
Message-ID: <82950104214528/0006901972DC4EM at MCIMAIL.COM>

Here's a subject I've never seen discussed - what do folks use to switch
between the "A" and "B" rigs when using two radios in a contest?

Way back in my K2GL/N2AA days ("daze" is more appropriate) we used Bird 
coax switches - these cool manual jobbers - from my ancient Bird catalog,
I'm guessing they were model "72-2".  

I would imagine that a vacuum relay would work very nicely, too, with the
added advantage of being able to remote the control switch from the
"business-end" of the switch...

What is everyone using?  I have a need to switch between two radios, but
have ZERO interest in exposing a $4,000 rig to insufficient isolation
between ports.  Does anyone have a source for the Birds?  I'm sorta a
low-tech guy with respect to this subject, and wouldn't mind crankin' the
handle.  For those who use relays - my questions are: 1) What type of relay,
2) How do you physically lay it out for maximum isolation, 3) How do you
test it without a lab, and without risking a blown front-end?

Please respond to me directly: ssacco at mcimail.com; I'll compile a summary of
the answers and repost - this stikes me as a subject of interest to most of
us.

73/HNY

Steve KC2X
Narcoosee, Florida