So you want to be a W1?

[randy at iconics.com]

     So you think you want to be a W1?
     
     Well, this morning I was up on my tower at 6:30 AM with a 16' 
     extension pole banging the ice off of my antennas!  It was 20 
     degrees (F), but luckily the wind was not blowing so it didn't 
     feel that cold.
     
     Took 90 minutes on the tower to partially clear ice off of 5 
     beams.
     
     Sure glad I did the W6QHS mods on my 40-2CD.  Lot of ice 
     build-up, but the thing held up perfectly -- nice and straight.
     
     After cleaning, the swr on everything came to within the bottom 
     of the ham bands (was about 300 khz low before I started!).  With 
     some sunlight today, maybe they will return to their normal 
     resonance points in the middle of the bands!
     
     Good luck to everyone in the contest.  This is a good year to go 
     for the Top Ten as many W1's in Mass & NH are going to be badly 
     affected by the icing.
     
     Randy Thompson K5ZD
     
     K5ZD at iconics.com

>From Skelton, Tom" <TSkelton at engineer.ClemsonSC.ATTGIS.COM  Fri Mar  3 23:16:00 1995
From: Skelton, Tom" <TSkelton at engineer.ClemsonSC.ATTGIS.COM (Skelton, Tom)
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 95 15:16:00 PST
Subject: Autek RF-1
Message-ID: <2F57A331 at admin.ClemsonSC.ATTGIS.COM>





<del>
Bill didn't seem interested in the fact that the device arrived not working,
and wasn't willing to make any allowance for the fact that now the box has
to
be sent to OE since Mike was returning.  He said two things that bothered
us:
he kept insisting "read the warrantee", although you don't get to see it
until
the product arrives, and more troubling, he said "there's no record of this
conversation".
<del>
  He repeated to me the bit about "read
the warrantee" and eventually hung up on me.
<del>73 de Dave, W6QHS  5543629 at mcimail.com

It's crap such as what Dave described that puts people out of business who
have a good product.  If I got a DOA product, and got the same type of
repulsive fecal excuses and abuse that Dave got, I'd let everybody in the
world know what happened.

After all, who spends more on amateur radio equipment:
contesters/dx'ers (who would use an Autek RF-1) or the hamshack - on
the - belt - crowd (who just need replacement nicads) ????

73,Tom WB4iUX
Tom.Skelton at ClemsonSC.ATTGIS.COM

>From John Allyn <jallyn at airdata.com>  Fri Mar  3 21:26:00 1995
From: John Allyn <jallyn at airdata.com> (John Allyn)
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 95 13:26:00 PST
Subject: AUTEK
Message-ID: <2F578983 at wddmssmtp.nwest.airdata.com>


Any company that doesn't listen to their customers deserves to be in the 
class of the now defunct Telrex.  There is simply no excuse for the kind of 
treatment that Autek gave to OE6MBG.

If Autek continues there policies of poor customer support, a lousy 
attitude, not delivering working products and failure to support them with 
fair policies, then I have no sympathy for them.

In this hobby, it is especially important to keep customers happy if you 
want to keep them at all. After all, communications is what it is all about, 
and the word spreads fast. Fortunately we don't have to put up with this 
crap..there are many other more customer oriented suppliers that would love 
to have the business.  The hell with Autek.

>From gdo at aloft.att.com (Glenn D. O'Donnell)  Fri Mar  3 19:50:03 1995
From: gdo at aloft.att.com (Glenn D. O'Donnell) (Glenn D. O'Donnell)
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 95 14:50:03 EST
Subject: New Contest: GridLoc
Message-ID: <9503031950.AA07186 at dasher>

Sounds like a nice contest.  Will there be logging software available?
I don't expect CT will work, especially for the first running of the contest.
    73 de Glenn O'Donnell, N3BDA
    C U this weekend in the ARRL DX

> The first running of the HF Grid Location Contest will be
> in April.  The rules were written in large part based on a
> discussion about using grids that started here on the mail
> reflector.  Here are the official rules.  Hope to see plenty
> of activity on the bands.

>From Jon R Kimball <ASJRK at acad2.alaska.edu>  Fri Mar  3 20:58:47 1995
From: Jon R Kimball <ASJRK at acad2.alaska.edu> (Jon R Kimball)
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 1995 12:58:47 -0800
Subject: No subject
Message-ID: <01HNP7RQRKBQ8WVZ12 at UA.ORION.ALASKA.EDU>

SUBJECT: R A T E...High rate!!!
What's thee highest rate known to cw ops?  ssb ops?  from DX?   
USING ct, using pencil/paper and hand keyer??       
With all this callsigning business, different cdx, geographic advantages,
etc..., how do we determine thee highest rate?  NL7GP
p.s.  at KL7Y arrl cw the first hour was 227....then 219. Please respond...



>From Trey Garlough <GARLOUGH at TGV.COM>  Fri Mar  3 22:10:17 1995
From: Trey Garlough <GARLOUGH at TGV.COM> (Trey Garlough)
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 1995 14:10:17 -0800 (PST)
Subject: No subject
Message-ID: <794268617.206310.GARLOUGH at TGV.COM>

> SUBJECT: R A T E...High rate!!!
> What's thee highest rate known to cw ops?  ssb ops?  from DX?   
> USING ct, using pencil/paper and hand keyer??       
> With all this callsigning business, different cdx, geographic advantages,
> etc..., how do we determine thee highest rate?  NL7GP

Check the Almanac published by CQ and edited by K1DG.  It has a sampling
of these types of numbers.

--Trey, WN4KKN/6

>From Jon R Kimball <ASJRK at acad2.alaska.edu>  Fri Mar  3 21:21:01 1995
From: Jon R Kimball <ASJRK at acad2.alaska.edu> (Jon R Kimball)
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 1995 13:21:01 -0800
Subject: No subject
Message-ID: <01HNP8IP13L28WVZ12 at UA.ORION.ALASKA.EDU>

SUBJECT:  V 4 4 K A O
SUBJECT:  V 4 4 K A O
Life on St. Kitts is much different then in most places we're accustomed to
the people are nice and friendly, accepting mostly, and happy.  I did a 
10m contest on the island a few years ago, V47G.  KAO' is a great dude, 
he helped me find my way arnd in the trying times before the contest in
introducing me to many local hams, including all the boyz I needed to meet,
getting my license in a hurry, finding most suitable hotels, etc...
During the contest KAO' was always nearby, with a keen interest in my contesting
as was many of the V44's.  I shared stories of my travels, and he listened
intently, and he told me of times on the island and explained the way of
life(with his broken english-native accent)  I made a good friend down there 
in ST. KITTS and everytime I see comments on his operating practices, I picture
a young(21?) St. Christopher native guy sitting in a small shack, frantically 
writing down calls all of you are sending him, with a big smile and a sense of 
satisfaction filling the air.  So next time you here KAO' on and he doesn't
quite got it right, please let him know the proper procedure, I'm sure he
would be much appreciacado for your insights.  Welcome V44KAO to the fraternity
for he will grant to many a qso!.......... Thanks  Jon NL7GP/V47G
P.s.    faster, faster...



>From dgf at netcom.com (David Feldman)  Fri Mar  3 23:20:02 1995
From: dgf at netcom.com (David Feldman) (David Feldman)
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 1995 15:20:02 -0800
Subject: AUTEK
Message-ID: <199503032320.PAA16680 at netcom14.netcom.com>

John Allyn <jallyn at airdata.com> writes:

>Any company that doesn't listen to their customers deserves to be in the 
>class of the now defunct Telrex.  There is simply no excuse for the kind of 
>treatment that Autek gave to OE6MBG.
...
>to have the business.  The hell with Autek.

Well, this experience has cost them at least one order --- I've had their
ad for the "RF1" torn out for about a month, and had received a few comments
regarding it's functional merits but hadn't gotten around to placing an
order.

Ten-Tec has set my customer service expectations for many years, and I tend
to expect other companies to Ten-Tec's level. Few achieve that.

It appears Autek won't have the chance.

73 Dave WB0GAZ dgf at netcom.com


>From milewski at OREGON.UOREGON.EDU (Steve Milewski)  Fri Mar  3 23:45:17 1995
From: milewski at OREGON.UOREGON.EDU (Steve Milewski) (Steve Milewski)
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 1995 15:45:17 -0800
Subject: AUTEK
Message-ID: <01HNPDEBMOXU8WWH1I at OREGON.UOREGON.EDU>

>John Allyn <jallyn at airdata.com> writes:
k.
>
>Well, this experience has cost them at least one order --- I've had their
>ad for the "RF1" torn out for about a month, and had received a few comments
>regarding it's functional merits but hadn't gotten around to placing an
>order.
>
>Ten-Tec has set my customer service expectations for many years, and I tend
>to expect other companies to Ten-Tec's level. Few achieve that.
>
>It appears Autek won't have the chance.
>
>73 Dave WB0GAZ dgf at netcom.com

I agree with all the sentiments expressed here on the reflector, but unless
those of us who are NOT going to order an Autek product because of their
poor customer support attitude tells someone at Autek, it won't make one
bit of difference.

Steve Milewski
milewski at oregon.uoregon.edu
Ham: AA7FL
 *** Stumps don't lie! ***



>From belcher at aloha.com (GARY E BELCHER KH6GMP)  Sat Mar  4 17:23:30 1995
From: belcher at aloha.com (GARY E BELCHER KH6GMP) (GARY E BELCHER KH6GMP)
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 1995 07:23:30 -1000
Subject: 15 singleband from HI
Message-ID: <199503041723.HAA16569 at mango.aloha.com>

Band seemed  pretty good from here yesterday (Friday). 300 Q's before tha
band went out at 0240z. Hope to see everyone on 15 today or tomarrow. 73 de
KH6GMP 
Gary - by the way - was about 82 degrees yest afternoon. Bright sun.


>From ccook at agora.rdrop.com (Craig Cook)  Sat Mar  4 16:48:00 1995
From: ccook at agora.rdrop.com (Craig Cook) (Craig Cook)
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 95 08:48 PST
Subject: Grid-Loc
Message-ID: <m0rkx0a-00016JC at agora.rdrop.com>

How many contesters plan on taking this seriously, big gun and pee-wee 
alike? I think it sounds like fun. These contests that allow contacts 
between stations in the U.S.A. and on the same continent for QSO credit are 
what guys like me with single tri-bander stations live for. I love SS and 
ARRL 10 Meter, for 2 examples. I get on for the big dx 'tests too, don't get 
me wrong, I just have a hard time clearing a spot on 20 and working a pileup 
of Europe or whatever. I plan to get on and see what happens, and I hope a 
bunch of others do the same. I wasn't active at the time, but maybe this is 
how the Sprint got its start, and just kept getting more popular. I urge the 
sponsors to re-post the announcement a few more times, to help remind 
everyone and possibly build enthusiasm?      Craig - N7ENU                  
                                             ccook at agora.rdrop.com