More SO vs SOA

[K8DO at aol.com]

Hi Bob,   KR2J...
Perhaps I worded my bulletin poorly...I am not referring to the skill level
of the operators... Those skills come with doing a lot of contesting... And,
I was not referring to the ability to make more points as SOA... I was
referrring to the increasing investment / equipment level necessary to hope
to be a certificate winner... In SOA it has already inflated to a top grade
transceiver and and an Alpha 87 (or similar) for (nearly) instantaneous band
changes,  tower/beams assembly, and access to a DX spotting packet network...
In many trophy/certificate winning stations, it includes multiple operating
setups, with separate amps /antennas, etc...This trend is carrying into SO,
also....

My concern is that we DO NOT CONTINUE to raise the barriers to winning a
certificate as a SO, with modest equipment, so high that it ceases to be the
entry point to contesting... I would like to keep SO a single op / single
rig, with  multiple awards and recognition for these ops.... i.e. "Best
improved score from the previous year", etc.... and whatever else we can
dream up... I feel this is exceptionally important to continue to attract new
participants.... 
This is not to discourage those, who wish to move up to "no holds barred"
SOA, from investing in the gear necessary for rapid band changing - or from
doing a multi single / multi multi campaign... This is even to be encouraged,
for those who have the right stuff -> location / finances / etc.

BUT.... This discussion is about keeping SO the entry level to contesting for
the newcomers....

Hope this clarifies my position...
Cheers ...  Denny     k8do at aol.com



>From De Syam <syam at Glue.umd.edu>  Fri Jul 14 21:35:22 1995
From: De Syam <syam at Glue.umd.edu> (De Syam)
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 1995 16:35:22 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Bullet Proof Telephones
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.950714162530.13688A-100000 at cappuccino.eng.umd.edu>

I have found that the products produced by TCE Laboratories, 2365 
Waterfront Park Drive, Canyon Lake, TX 78133,  phone: (210) 899-4575
are first rate.   The owner, Tom Bruce, WA5???, is sometimes a bit slow 
on delivery, but the phone does not receive interference under any 
conditions at all, period!

     His model TPXL-D is a standard touchtone without any bells and 
whistles, sells for $59.95.   Any complaining neighbor of mine gets one 
from me for free as long as they can prove that I'm really bothering them 
and it's not just an attempt to get a free phone.  It has dried up all my 
RFI complaints and I now operate in any contest I wish in blissful peace!
Well worth the expense!

     Bruce's phones were among those used by the FCC in their famous RFI 
test.  His proved to solve RFI problems about 98% of the time.

                                          Very 73,

                                         Fred Laun, K3ZO