ARRL 160 CONTEST

JKAHRS at delphi.com JKAHRS at delphi.com
Wed Nov 22 22:55:41 EST 1995


On 22-NOV-1995 00:04:55.0 JimWaits said to JKAHRS
   > Would someone tell me what QST has the rules for the upcoming contest
   > on 160?
   > Jim Waits, W4ROM

Hi Jim,

Look on the bottom of page 130 of the November 95 QST.  I didnt know that
fish camp could load up on 160!  CU in the test!

73, Hank/K2UVG
jkahrs at delphi.com

>From Al Gritzmacher <ae2t at localnet.com>  Thu Nov 23 05:22:14 1995
From: Al Gritzmacher <ae2t at localnet.com> (Al Gritzmacher)
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 1995 00:22:14 -0500
Subject: SS Phone Score
Message-ID: <199511230521.AAA06906 at buffalo1.localnet.com>


                            SWEEPSTAKES SUMMARY SHEET


    Contest Dates : 18-Nov-95, 19-Nov-95, 20-Nov-95


    Callsign Used : AE2T
         Operator : AE2T

         Category : Single Op/Low Power

 Default Exchange : # A AE2T 69 WNY

             Name : Al Gritzmacher
          Address : 92 Saxton St.
   City/State/Zip : Lockport NY 14094
          Country : United States


        Team/Club : Western New York DX Assoc.


   BAND   Raw QSOs   Valid QSOs   Points   Mults   
 __________________________________________________

   80SSB     268         267        534      29 	 Dipole @ 40'
   40SSB     188         188        376      11 	 Inv Vee @ 40'
   20SSB      59          59        118      19 	   A3S @ 45'
   15SSB      67          67        134      16 	       "
 __________________________________________________

 Totals      582         581       1162      75 


    Final Score = 87150 points.

    Missed: ME, Mar  (#@!*&%$##!!!)

Rig:  TS-850S/AT, Timewave DSP-9, Heil Proset, TR-log 5.23 on a
      homebrew 486DX100.


Decided to work this contest low-power and didn't regret it.
Conditions were good and worked almost anything I could hear.

This contest started out great.  I really thought this would be the
year I finally made a clean sweep.  Worked all the usual hard
sections with little trouble: NWT (x2) Ak, Hi, Pr (x2) VI (x4!)
even Ne, ND, SD, WY, Ut, Etc. By Saturday evening, I was sure it
would be just a matter of time to work all the "easy" sections. 

Boy, was I wrong.  As Sunday morning waned into afternoon, I was
still deperately looking for Ms, SC, Me and Mar. At least all were
sections that were doable on 80 after dark.  Worked Ms about 2000 on
20 and switched to 40 shortly after.  I figured that if I hadn't
found them by now, there weren't any big signals coming out of those
sections.  So I concentrated on CQ'ing and hoped they might come to
me.  Finally got SC that way about 2300, (a real low QSO number -
he'd just got in the 'test) but nothing else.  I spent the last several
hours searching the bands for Maine and the Maritimes, with no luck.
So much for my sweep.

Actually, it was one of the better SS's I've been in.  I bet it will
set a record for total number of Sweeps!  Great participation from
NWT, ND, SD, WY and of course PR and VI sections.  Also amazing that
anyone was on at all from the hurricane-ravaged islands.  Hope they
get back to normal soon.

Heard ME (K1RQ) on 20m scatter, but couldn't get through the western
stations he was working.  I figured ME would be easy later on 80 or
40, so I didn't sweat it.  Guess I should have.  Heard one other ME
and a VE1 working S&P, but couldn't ever get them.

One comment on the anti-contesting crowd:  Why is it a contester can
be on a frequency for hours, then the carriers start up.  Then the
whistles into the microphones, then the "Haaaaalllloooo -
haaaaalllooo...s." Then the cat calls start.  Then before you know
it, they're accusing the contester of taking "their" frequency!?

Personaly, if I hear a contester trying to hold a frequency through
this sort of nonsense, I'll try doubly hard to make a QSO through
it... no matter how much QRM I have to endure.

This time we had the SSTVers, the Nosepickers' Nets, and the DX
Window Police, who else wants to jump on the bandwagon?

How about this:  a bonus for every instance of intentional
interference you receive in the contest.  Strictly on an honor
basis, maybe just in parenthesis after the real score.  Maybe if
these guys figured they were giving us points by QRMing, they'd
stop! ;-)

All in all, a very enjoyable SS.  Looking forward to this weekend's
CQWW.

73 
Al AE2T
ae2t at localnet.com
http://www.localnet.com/~ae2t

For WA4ZXA:

Call: AE2T
Class: SO/LP
Section: WNY
Score: 87150
Q's: 581
Multi's: 75
Hours Wrkd: 22



>From Thomas Carlsson <74364.2660 at compuserve.com>  Thu Nov 23 05:44:15 1995
From: Thomas Carlsson <74364.2660 at compuserve.com> (Thomas Carlsson)
Date: 23 Nov 95 00:44:15 EST
Subject: CQWW-CW
Message-ID: <951123054414_74364.2660_HHG25-1 at CompuServe.COM>

7Z5OO/K3UOC Mike and myself have come to the conclusion that the following
will be QRV during the CQWW CW

HZ1AB  Op SM0CXU/Thomas  QSL via K8PYD   SO/SB 20m
7Z5OO     K3UOC/Mike             W1AF    SO/AB
7Z1AB     SM5CCT/Bengt           KN4F    SO/QRP
A71CW                                    SO/AB?
A92Q      K0DQ                           SO/AB
9K2MU                            WA4JTK

Good luck to all  73    Thomas  SM0CXU/AB5CQ


>From kf3p at cais.cais.com (Tyler Stewart)  Thu Nov 23 05:55:36 1995
From: kf3p at cais.cais.com (Tyler Stewart) (Tyler Stewart)
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 1995 00:55:36 -0500
Subject: CONTEST-ADE
Message-ID: <199511230555.AAA07751 at cais.cais.com>

>Along the same lines,
>at V26B, at the recommendation of WB2P, we consumed mass quantities of
>"Crystal Light" drink mix.  It was great.  Of course, it was about 90 degrees
>F outside and much hotter in the shack, so we had to keep hydrated.  This
>stuff worked for us and I, personally, liked the Lemon-Lime variety best.  
>"Highly recommended."
>de V26RN
>
>Domestically, at N2RM, we also favor the "Tostito's" chips and Salsa.  Most
>of us prefer the Mild variety of Salsa, but iron bellys like KZ2S and N2BCC
>prefer the HOT stuff.  WM2H whips up his own concoction of "Shrimp Fra
>Diavlo" or whatever he calls it these days.  This must be eaten with the
>fingers by the way.  20 ounce coffees from Wa Wa* (local convenience store)
>are the preferred drink of none other than the world famous K3UA.  These are
>rapidly consumed 2 or 3 at a time.  N2RM himself seems to prefer "sticky
>buns".  Contrary to rumour, these are NOT "stinky buns". In a totally
>unrelated matter,  KA2AEV consumes several hot dogs from "Waldbaums" in
>Queens, NYC that he cooks on his own portable grill. My favorite contest
>snacks are large stick pretzels that we adoringly call "cigars" - they ain't
>for kids!  
>"It's a good thing." 
>de KR2J at AOL.com

That Crystal Light was a good choice for V26B...especially considering the
price of Coke down there!  Quite refreshing it was.... however I've found
that these "nutrasweet" drinks including Diet Coke make me run to the 
bathroom too often...they and tea are diaretics, so if you are single op.,
they can be QUITE annoying!  I try to stick to very simple stuff for
single op:  A medium sized jar of Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts are tops on
my list...one of these and something wet and I'm all set, but I usually 
supplement with a couple apples, a thang of OJ (Whoa!), and perhaps some
little pretzel thingies (fat free, of course - us ham's have to watch our
weight...right?)  I drink Caffeine free Coke or Ginger Ale most of the time, 
but water is a good choice.  I dont like to drink anything with caffeine,
because it usually keeps me up but does nothing for my acuity.  

Note I violate these choices a lot, but I think these are the better ones.

73, Tyler KF3P/V26TS



>From SWEN-ERIK BORG <vpk.9936seb at memo.volvo.se>  Thu Nov 23 09:25:48 1995
From: SWEN-ERIK BORG <vpk.9936seb at memo.volvo.se> (SWEN-ERIK BORG)
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 1995 10:25:48 +0100
Subject: SI6GM QRV
Message-ID: <199511230925.KAA09621@ memo.volvo.se>

--- Inkommet från VPK.SM6LPF  0500-475522           95-11-23 10:25
  -> IN=CQ-CONTEST(a)TGV.COM

PSE LOOK FOR US IN CQWW, MULTI/SINGLE STATION
SM6LPF, SM6MCW, SM6DYK, SM6CPY
73 GL DE SM6MCW PETER CHIEF OP SI6GM
QSL VIA BURO ONLY (SSA)

>From RUSSELL S. RINN" <miltex at bga.com  Thu Nov 23 09:33:13 1995
From: RUSSELL S. RINN" <miltex at bga.com (RUSSELL S. RINN)
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 1995 03:33:13 -0600 (CST)
Subject: Outlawing Dueling CQs in SS
Message-ID: <199511230933.DAA22581 at zoom.bga.com>

Regarding "outlawing duelling CQ's" here's my take:

First let me explain my history w/2 radios and how I do it.

I've now used 2 radios in 3 contests.

My first try was in the August NAQP SSB - solely S&P on the 2nd radio.

In the '95 CQWW SSB I started CQing on 2 freq's (not necessarily 
different bands) and I devoted my attention to the radio that got an answer, 
ie. stopped CQing on the other radio while copying an exchange.

I suppose I could have easily lost a frequency, but the exchange was so short
the whole thing was pretty quick.  I don't recall if I was ever challenged
for a freq.  If it had come up and I wasn't able to retain both freq's
I would fight for the most valuable, eg. stay on 15m and run JA's and S&P 
VK's on another 10m freq. later.

In SS SSB I took the technique a little further and CQ'd on 2 freq's and, 
when called, I would copy the exchange on Radio X, type it into the computer  
and CQ on Radio Y at the same time.  This worked pretty well.  When I got a 
call, I gave my exchange AFAP (As Fast As Possible) on Radio X and then CQ'd 
on Radio Y and copied the exchange until it was time to say "Thanks QRZ" and 
start flipping the toggle switches really fast again.  The hardest thing was 
making sure I logged the Q's on the correct band.  

I'm guessing this is pretty standard 2 radio operation.  This was just new 
to me.

**I feel this method DID NOT leave alot of "dead air" thus minimizing the 
chance of someone thinking the freq was unused.  Both freq's were either
working someone or CQing or both.** 

Incidentally, I CANNOT transmit simultaneously on 2 freq's as my box does                                                                           
not allow that.  That would be cheating.

The rates were decent like this but it was a pretty taxing procedure.  I 
think the max I did this was about an hour at a time.  I believe my high 
rate doing this was 85 per hour Sunday evening.

I didn't have DVP so it took a little extra concentration but it became 
second nature pretty quick. 
 
In SS it was critical to give the exchange AFAP and start CQing again on
the other radio.  It was kinda nerve racking listening to a station
calling in on the other radio while the guy you were working needed the
exhange format explained!  In a circumstance like that I would flip over
and ask the other station to QRX.  Sometimes they would, most of the time
they didn't.  I probably wouldn't either (not for South Texas anyway). 

There are tradeoffs to be considered so you just have to weigh them at any
given time.  Some of these are:

-I could lose a frequency.  

-Perhaps if I devoted all my attention to a single freq I could achieve rate
 equal to the 2 freq scheme.

-It's tiring.

-It's easier to make logging mistakes.

Bottom Line...

I don't feel this type of operation should be outlawed.  It's a skill.  I 
know lots of guys who can copy code faster than me, but that is a skill and 
they shouldn't be handicapped for it.  If it's done efficiently there is 
little room for frequency battles (you should hear any station asking if the
frequency is in use).

I also don't agree that everyone doing this is a big gun with an ego problem.
I used a similar technique 15 years ago from my " Tribander at 40' "
station with external VFO's or the A/B switch of my TS930. It's still a 
very manual operation who's effectiveness is primarily determined by the
operator.  Some stations may do better without it than some do with it.

Finally, I don't think I'm schizo.  And I don't either.

73 and GL in CQWW CW, Russ--









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