AE6Y CQP score
AE6Y at aol.com
AE6Y at aol.com
Mon Oct 9 20:45:26 EDT 1995
This year was a bit frustrating, going low power and with condx definitely
worse than last year. But, there was lots of participation...Thanks
particularly to all those non-Californians who helped out in a big way.
AE6Y, single-op, Low Power:
1215 q's (603 cw) times 57 mults = 172,881 pts.
First year since 1991 that I didn't get a sweep (never heard HI). My
950SDX when west just before the contest, but KT6J kindly loaned me his 940,
which worked fb. Only problem is that it had no elec keyer, so I ended up
using my old circa 1957 Vibroplex as a hand key! Hadn't used it in many
years, and was very shaky with it --I tried to do whatever I could with the
computer to avoid embarrassment, hi.
My homebrew dvk worked great, and used it to send calls and exchanges
whenver possible. There was a slight problem in that the recordings were a
bit bassy. In the 950 I could have cut most of that out with the hi pass
transmit filter, but not in the 940. Unfortunately I had done all the wav
file recordings using crummy labtec computer speakers that have very little
bass response, so I thought the tone quality was just right! I may try
hooking up the HEIL headset mike to the computer to make the recordings to
get the benefit of the communications tone profile.
Anyway, lots of fun as usual -- thanks again to all who participated.
>From peterj at netcom.com (Peter Jennings) Tue Oct 10 00:23:44 1995
From: peterj at netcom.com (Peter Jennings) (Peter Jennings)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 16:23:44 -0700
Subject: CQP Result Summary
Message-ID: <199510092323.QAA25761 at netcom10.netcom.com>
I have volunteered to post a summary of the CQP results from
the weekend. Please send me your bottom line scores and I will
post the standings every day or so. If you want to post your
own details and anecdotes to the reflector, go ahead, and I will
pick up the score from there. If you just want to send me the
bottom line for the list, great.
So far:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Call Category Mult Score QSO CW
K6XO/7 UT SO H 58 76,908 581 164
KM0L MO SO H 49 24,696 183 138
AB6FO LAX SO H 58 258,274 1802 849
AB6WM SCRZ SO H 58 221,908 1601 624
AA6MV SCLA SO H 58 110,490 801 303
-------------------------------------------------------------
AB6WM comments:
I guess if I want to catch up with Ken I am going to
have to get a second radio! This has to be the most
fun contest of the year. The time flies by and there
isn't the pressure to make every contact in milliseconds.
Now I know why it's called a QSO PARTY.
160 80 40 20 15 10 VHF
CW 9 87 150 276 102 0 0
Phone 7 104 105 638 123 0 0
Peter AB6WM
http://mall.turnpike.net/~jc/ peterj at netcom.com
>From Jon E. Casamajor" <0006874944 at mcimail.com Tue Oct 10 01:41:00 1995
From: Jon E. Casamajor" <0006874944 at mcimail.com (Jon E. Casamajor)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 95 19:41 EST
Subject: KN6EL CQP 95 RESULTS
Message-ID: <65951010004156/0006874944DC3EM at MCIMAIL.COM>
CALL: KN6EL COUNTY: BUTTE
CATEGORY: S/O LOW POWER
MODE QSO QSO PTS MULTS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CW 578 1734 0
SSB 251 502 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 829 2236 55 = 122,980 PTS.
Condx were pretty rough...lots of QRN to deal with especially on 15 when
it did open. Lots of fun on 80 and 40 cw with good runs and lots of good
operators to work.
Operated about 19 hours here and went to bed Saturday night after realizing
the rate had gone to 10 or so! Best rate was a short run on 15m SSB on
Sunday afternoon when the meter went to 188...short lived though!
Many thanks to all of you who got on and to the gang at NCCC for stirring
up the 6 land troops again!
No major visits from Murphy this year...re: AB6FO and his earlier post...sure
glad I don't chew gum OR ride an exercise bike! Still laughing over that one!
73 de Jon
KN6EL....Butte County, CA
>From beaton at wintermute.co.uk (Alastair Beaton) Tue Oct 10 01:49:23 1995
From: beaton at wintermute.co.uk (Alastair Beaton) (Alastair Beaton)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 01:49:23 +0100
Subject: RS-232
Message-ID: <199510100049.BAA03171 at oberon.wintermute.co.uk>
Hi folks,
I guess this question comes up at this time every year. We are running a
small-ish Multi-Multi (GM4DMZ - not Shetland) for CQWW and will be using six
networked PCs running CT.
This year's problem is that the network won't work with an RS-232 cable of
more than 40ft (it was tried this weekend). We will need a 60ft and 75ft run.
I wonder if anyone has a solution without resorting to transparent packet
between stations. A quick and dirty solution would be best (ie. thin
Ethernet and Netware are out of the question).
Any and all suggestions gratefully received. In the finest tradition, please
mail me direct and I will summarise and post on the reflector.
Thanks
Al, GM4BAP
_______________________________
| |
| Alastair J.S. Beaton |
| Tel: +44 1463 231197 |
| Fax: +44 1463 717854 |
|E-mail: beaton at wintermute.co.uk|
|_______________________________|
>From broz at csn.net (John Brosnahan) Tue Oct 10 02:06:14 1995
From: broz at csn.net (John Brosnahan) (John Brosnahan)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 19:06:14 -0600
Subject: Guy Grip follow up to KL7HF's reply
Message-ID: <199510100106.TAA21344 at lynx.csn.net>
>I think the confusion is in what you're calling "Guy Grips".
>Utilities don't use guy grips, but use Strand Vices. Different
>animals. Guy grips are tools for pulling up the cables, Strand
>Vices are permanent end of strand termination, with loops to
>make the tie to anchors, towers, etc.
>73 - Del, KL7HF-
I am sorry Del, but you are wrong here. Utilities use a huge amount of Guy
Grips and Big Grips which are the names used by Preformed Line Products to
describe their devices which are more generically known as Dead Ends (and
are available from A.B. Chance as well). These are hairpin shaped,
multi-strand devices that wrap around the guy wire and are preformed to look
like two cork screws before installation. They are permanent devices and
often go unnoticed since they blend in so well with the guy wire itself.
Utilities also use Strandvises, which, as you stated, are a different
animal, and are made by Reliable Electric, but these are being used less and
less because they are so much more expensive. These are the things with
three main pieces, the tapered aluminum body with an inner coil of spring
wire, a section of aluminum extrusion that has a round hole for the tapered
body as well as two little extensions "ears" in the main hole to accept the
bail which is a long U-shaped piece of stainless steel rod with "blobs" on
the end to catch in the "ears" of the extrusion piece. (Gee, a word really
is worth a milli-picture.)
And what you are refering to as a tool for pulling up cables is actually a
thing called a Kellems grip, which I believe is a trade name (as is
Strandvise). It really IS like the old Chinese finger cuffs and made of
lossely woven stainless steel wire that grabs more tightly as the tension is
increased but distributes the force over a large area of the cable to reduce
the possibility of damage to the cable during installation. These are very
handy to have when you are installing long lengths of coax up a tower, or
pulling wires through a conduit.
(A series of half-hitches will work but tends to put most of the force on
the first half-hitch.)
Hope my word-pictures help make sure everyone understands which beast is
which. BTW my reference to the differences in 3/16" Guy Grips and 3/16" Big
Grips (Big Grips are longer and have an extra strand) should have been for a
comparison of 1/4" Guy and Big Grips, which are the ones I have compared
recently. I am currently using a few 3/16 Big Grips but I haven't compared
them with the 3/16 Guy Grip to see what differences there are for these two.
I am sure the shorter Guy Grip will work in most cases or even more utility
poles would have fallen down after the recent hurricane, but the slightly
more expensive (slightly, if you don't buy them through a convenience store
ham radio retailer) is what is recommended by the manufacturer.
The extra length in the Big Grips allows for using a second crossover point
that is further from the hairpin and required when going around a large
diameter and longer object such as a compression insulator, rather than a
thimble or an eyelet. This results in the same gripping length on a Big
Grip around an insulator as you would have using a Guy Grip around a
thimble. I am sure there are significant safety margins built in so that
one can get away with the smaller Guy Grip -- even around an insulator, but
with multiple 199 ft towers I didn't want to play the "probably good
enough" game.
73 John W0UN
John Brosnahan W0UN
La Salle Research Corp 24115 WCR 40 La Salle, CO 80645 USA
voice 970-284-6602 fax 970-284-0979 email broz at csn.net
>From km9p at is.net (Bill Fisher) Tue Oct 10 02:09:24 1995
From: km9p at is.net (Bill Fisher) (Bill Fisher)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 21:09:24 -0400
Subject: Omni-6 Review
Message-ID: <199510100109.VAA08078 at mail1.is.net>
OK after further review...
Things I like about this rig:
1) Ability to control side tone level and pitch!
2) Adjustable tuning rate of main VFO!
3) 25 pin serial interface. No need for a stupid seperate box!
4) QSK on all Ten Tec's is the best. - although not much use in contesting.
5) Seperate RX ant. jack AND FRONT PANEL SELECTION. No serious radio should
be without this feature.
6) Light. PS is 12V external.
7) Last but not least... great receiver.
My first impression of the rig was one without a manual. Many of the
functions available on most rigs are now done via the microprocessor and
elminate front panel controls, thus making the front panel less cluttered!
Without the manual, I had no idea how to access these functions.
My only complaint to date is that the radio dies when in transmit. The RIT
clear problem is not a problem if the radio doesn't die in transmit. IMHO.
I'll probably buy one of the new Yaesu's too and then have a better basis
for comparison. If you are a CW op, this is your rig.
>From C Sim James, KK5EA" <jamescs at mail.auburn.edu Tue Oct 10 02:28:10 1995
From: C Sim James, KK5EA" <jamescs at mail.auburn.edu (C Sim James, KK5EA)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 20:28:10 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: kk5ea/4 cqp results
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.951009201005.15115A-100000 at mallard>
Call Used: KK5EA/4
QTH: Auburn, Alabama
Class: Single operator, High Power, SSB Only
Operator: Sim
Hours of Operation: approx. 10 hours, 40 minuets
Comments:
My first attempt at the cqp just thought I would try it since it
was so hyped up on the cq-contest reflector. We are still recovering
from Opal here so only the dipole was available for use after it was
hurriedly thrown back up. I had many other things to do this weekend
like homework, and post hurricane clean up so I had to only operate a small
part of the contest by doing a few hours each day. Still had fun and got
enough q's to earn my t-shirt witch was the goal I had set out for in the
first place. The only real mistake I made was accedentally skipping the
serial # 58, I should have drug my computer down to the shack from home,
oh, well, live and learn. It was nice to hear many people say that I
gave them a new mult., glad I could help. One of these days I might even
be able to get a good solid run on a freq. Need to get the beam back up
first, however. This contest will be on my operating schedule
for next year.
73 es tnx fer a fun one,
Sim, KK5EA
_______________________________________________________________________________
Total QSO's: 112 X 2 points per QSO = 224 points
Total Mult's: 40 counties
Total Score: 224 X 40 = 8,960 points
_______________________________________________________________________________
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
|C. Sim James, KK5EA 03PO | "War is politics by other means"|
|Email: jamescs at mail.auburn.edu | - Clausewitz |
|Packet: kk5ea at k4ry.#cenal.al.usa.na | |
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
>From broz at csn.net (John Brosnahan) Tue Oct 10 02:32:49 1995
From: broz at csn.net (John Brosnahan) (John Brosnahan)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 19:32:49 -0600
Subject: Do You Have 1983 NCJ's?
Message-ID: <199510100132.TAA21949 at lynx.csn.net>
>Topic: Do You Have 1983 NCJ's?
>
>I wrote an article titled: "PHILLYSTRAN - A Non-metallic
>Guy" which appeared in NCJ on pp. 16-18, but I'm not sure
>which issue. I think it was either Jan-Feb 1983, or Nov-Dec
>1982. I cut it out and failed to note the issue.
>
>If you have those old issues, would you mind checking and
>telling me? If you have the K3LR complete collection (sold
>at Dayton), could you look it up?
Jan-Feb 1983!!!!!
John Brosnahan W0UN
La Salle Research Corp 24115 WCR 40 La Salle, CO 80645 USA
voice 970-284-6602 fax 970-284-0979 email broz at csn.net
>From joe.ham at ctobbs.com (Joe Ham) Mon Oct 9 03:36:54 1995
From: joe.ham at ctobbs.com (Joe Ham) (Joe Ham)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 02:36:54 GMT
Subject: AB6FO CQP Results
Message-ID: <9510091757062537 at ctobbs.com>
Here's some more CQP results
KG6LF--single op, low power, ssb only, 16 hours
80- 101 Q's
40- 160 "
20- 735 "
15- 226 "
Total 1222 Q's, 58 mults = 141,752
Comments:
Nice to get all the mults out of the way early in the contest.
Surprised at # of DX stations that called. Working low power was a
little frustrating particularly on 75 meters. My new TS 870 S worked
like a champ! Very impressed with DSP in IF on receive.
Equipment: TS 870S with built-in digital voice recorder (DRU-3) which,
unlike the one in my TS 850 worked well with audio that got good
reports. Antennaes: C-3 on 15/20, Force 12 2 element 40, inverted V on
75 with Force 12 80 meter dipole fixed at 6 feet above ground as a
second receive only antenna (note dipole at 6 feet greatly improves S/N
ratio.)
Had fun!
Jerry
KG6LF
>From Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com Tue Oct 10 06:48:46 1995
From: Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com (Fred Hopengarten)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 01:48:46 EDT
Subject: guys
Message-ID: <307a0942.k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com>
On Mon, 9 Oct 1995 08:46:00 -0700, "Gary Nieborsky"
<k7fr at ncw.net> wrote:
> Is it a faux pax to suggest using Preform grips on steel
cable guys??
K1VR replies:
Not in my book. I use them exclusively on my steel
cable guys, with the exception of the "figure 8" safety loop
at the ground end tie down (where I have clips).
--
Fred Hopengarten K1VR
Six Willarch Road * Lincoln, MA 01773-5105
home + office telephone: 617/259-0088 (FAX on demand)
internet: k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com
"Big antennas, high in the sky, are better
than small ones, low."
>From Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com Tue Oct 10 06:54:35 1995
From: Fred Hopengarten" <k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com (Fred Hopengarten)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 01:54:35 EDT
Subject: Beam Interaction - FYI
Message-ID: <307a0a9d.k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com>
On Mon, 09 Oct 1995 17:53:00 CET, pph at dc.dk wrote:
> Stacking beams is great for contesting and switching
BLU (Both-Lower-Upper) or BIP/BOP (Both In Phase/Both Out of
Phase) could be added.
[snip]
> Has anyone programs for calculating a stack feed out
of phase? TA by K6STI and YTAD does not handle this. Well, I
am building a BIP/BOP switch even without computer
modelling.
K1VR comments:
Just because something can be done does not require
that it must be done. Years ago K1GQ tried having BIP/BOP
switching on his stacks. K1EA also tried it. They both
concluded that, while an occasional QSO might benefit in
signal strength, a BIP/BOP switch will LOWER your CONTEST
score.
You'll spend too much time switching, when you should
be off making QSO's, even at sub-optimal signal strengths.
When I erected my stack of three tribanders (my
TH19DXX, comprised of a TH6/TH6/TH7), I chose to omit the
"out-of-phase" option in the interest of raising scores.
--
Fred Hopengarten K1VR
Six Willarch Road * Lincoln, MA 01773-5105
home + office telephone: 617/259-0088 (FAX on demand)
internet: k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com
"Big antennas, high in the sky, are better
than small ones, low."
>From James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com> Tue Oct 10 03:21:00 1995
From: James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com> (James White)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 95 21:21 EST
Subject: AB6FO handle here is Gum
Message-ID: <14951010022141/0006492564PK3EM at MCIMAIL.COM>
I think you should use Gum as your handle in the next Sprint or NAQP!
Alpha
Bravo
Six
Flatulance (ence?)
Obstruction
zx
>From Jim Stevens <ki4hn at nando.net> Tue Oct 10 03:25:13 1995
From: Jim Stevens <ki4hn at nando.net> (Jim Stevens)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 22:25:13 -0400
Subject: CQP Results
Message-ID: <01BA9696.38A66640 at grail416.nando.net>
Operator : KI4HN
Station Used : N4ZC
Category : Single Op - High Power
BAND Raw QSOs Valid QSOs Points Mults
__________________________________________________
80CW 27 27 81 1
80SSB 22 22 44 0
40CW 65 63 189 0
40SSB 41 41 82 1
20CW 84 84 252 7
20SSB 268 268 537 48
15CW 72 72 216 0
15SSB 152 152 304 1
__________________________________________________
Totals 731 729 1705 58
Final Score =3D 98890 points.
My first serious CQP effort. It was a lot of fun given that the low =
bands weren't their best and 15 didn't open much on Saturday. On =
Sunday, 15 was much better. I checked 10 several times on Sunday, but =
never heard anybody but South Americans. A hint to CA stations from a =
East Coaster: try 40M phone after midnight CA time. By midnight CA =
time, it is light in Europe and most of the broadcast interference is =
gone on the East Coast. I tried CQing at 3AM but had few takers. At =
midnight East Coast even with a 4 element KLM pointed West, the =
broadcast is murder.
Thanks to Roger (N4ZC) for the use of the station. BTW while I was =
playing radio, Roger and WZ3Q were completing the final antenna work for =
CQ WW. We all look forward to seeing you in the big one!
73,
Jim Stevens, KI4HN
ki4hn at nando.net <--- NEW ADDRESS
>From Frank Donovan <donovanf at sgate.com> Tue Oct 10 03:44:24 1995
From: Frank Donovan <donovanf at sgate.com> (Frank Donovan)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 22:44:24 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Beam Interaction - FYI
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.951009223509.16113A-100000 at jekyll.sgate.com>
I also tried the BIP/BOP switching years ago, and likewise reached the
conclusion that the occasional advantage it offered (mostly to the
Carribean) just wasn't worth the trouble! The BOP position discriminates
against low angle radiation in order to produce enhanced high angle
radiation, certainly not a desirable situation for calling CQ.
My subsequent antenna designs have used height selection (for example, on
20M I can select 5 elements at 50 ft, 5 elements at 100 ft, 5 over 5 at
50/100 ft, or 5 elements at 200 ft) rather than BOP
switching.
ELNEC and EZNEC by W7EL are excellent and inexpensive programs capable of
modelling stacked Yagis.
73!
Frank
W3LPL
donovanf at sgate.com
On Tue, 10 Oct 1995, Fred Hopengarten wrote:
> On Mon, 09 Oct 1995 17:53:00 CET, pph at dc.dk wrote:
> > Stacking beams is great for contesting and switching
> BLU (Both-Lower-Upper) or BIP/BOP (Both In Phase/Both Out of
> Phase) could be added.
>
> [snip]
>
> > Has anyone programs for calculating a stack feed out
> of phase? TA by K6STI and YTAD does not handle this. Well, I
> am building a BIP/BOP switch even without computer
> modelling.
>
>
> K1VR comments:
>
> Just because something can be done does not require
> that it must be done. Years ago K1GQ tried having BIP/BOP
> switching on his stacks. K1EA also tried it. They both
> concluded that, while an occasional QSO might benefit in
> signal strength, a BIP/BOP switch will LOWER your CONTEST
> score.
>
> You'll spend too much time switching, when you should
> be off making QSO's, even at sub-optimal signal strengths.
>
> When I erected my stack of three tribanders (my
> TH19DXX, comprised of a TH6/TH6/TH7), I chose to omit the
> "out-of-phase" option in the interest of raising scores.
> --
> Fred Hopengarten K1VR
>
>From James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com> Tue Oct 10 03:59:00 1995
From: James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com> (James White)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 95 21:59 EST
Subject: Omni VI, almost perfect
Message-ID: <30951010025903/0006492564PK2EM at MCIMAIL.COM>
This is the letter guys - thanks to WA6SDM for reminding me to get off my
rear end and send it, I don't have an excuse like some others do for my
cheeks being stuck in a given position, Far Out! I haven't sent this yet,
you will have the last shot at editing it - I will mail it at the end of
this week....Friday the 13th. Last minute replies to me before Thursday PM
when I bring home a new ribbon for my printer! Again thanks to Trey for the
use of the Contest Reflector for collection of over 70 Omni-related
messages. Thanks to all who contributed, sorry I couldn't QSL always QSL
your input but at $.50 each on MCI I think you understand! zx
------------------------I will bobbit it here------------------------------
October 13, 1995
Ten-Tec Incorporated
Customer Service
1185 Dolly Parton Parkway
Sevierville, TN 37862
Sirs
This letter is addressed to Ten Tec, Inc. from many of the hams who frequent
the "Contest Reflector" on the Internet. I poised a question to the group
and collected their responses, I will summarize them and attached you will
find their original responses, responses received from your public. The
Contest Reflector, sponsored by Trey Garlough, WN4KKN in California is a
gathering place for hams who contest to exchange ideas about rigs, antennas
and contest strategies. E-mail messages sent to the contest reflector's
robot are in turn retransmitted to the Contest Reflectors subscribers -
currently over 1200 contest interested hams, active hams on every one of the
continents.
I have had the pleasure of using an Omni VI transceiver for several years
now, and truly enjoy the receiver. I am an active contest operator and like
many of my friends (AKA competitors!) I look to be at the current state of
the art so as to ensure I am not beaten by a radio when I lose, but beaten
by another operator's skill. Constantly we contesters are fine tuning our
stations to squeak out that last db from an antenna or add a receiving
antenna to hear when others cannot. One step up on the competition I have
enjoyed recently is the fine receiver in the Omni VI, without doubt it is
the one I have enjoyed the most in over 25 years of hamming.
The fans of the Omni VI's receiver are many in number. When I asked the crew
on the Contest Reflector what would you do to improve on the Omni they fired
back over 50 responses. Contesters are perhaps the best market for higher
end gear in that we all don't wanna give up anything when it comes to being
competitive, so we tend to be trying the new gear when it comes out, usually
hoping to hear just a lil better than the competition. The transmitter
section of most current day transceivers is not a major issue (there were a
few suggestions received as to slightly increasing the output power of the
Omni VI) as most of the higher end manufacturers of ham gear are on a pretty
even playing field...it is the receiver that separates the men from the
boys, or if you will: the rigs from the toys!
My reasons for coordinating this joint letter to you are somewhat selfish,
in that I, like the vast majority of the contributors, would like to see if
you could change the firmware on the Omni VI to enhance the RIT feature.
Other comments as to potential improvements were made but by far the contest
community senses a need for improvement of the RIT above all else. Why is it
that RIT is so important to contesters?
A winning score in a contest is based primarily on an operators ability to
make large numbers of contacts. Making a large number of contacts is only
possible if you are calling CQ and other contest stations are coming back to
you. Ideally during a "hot" time of day such as a band opening to Europe or
Japan in an international DX contest contact rates in excess of 100 per hour
for several hours will be had by the winners. In this fast paced environment
a CQ is called by the contester and sometimes several stations will respond,
as soon as a contact is repeated another is made and another and another.
This is all done without the contester changing frequency. As an example,
last year in one CW contest, our station started a contest on one frequency
and was able to run so well we didn't move from that frequency for six and a
half hours! One of the reasons we were able to keep the rate up was our
ability to hear the stations, especially the weak ones, accurately without
asking for them to repeat their information. Thanks for the great receiver
in the Omni VI, Ten-Tec, we won our category in that contest and have a nice
certificate on the wall as proof!
So the Omni VI hears very well, what's this beef about the RIT? When you are
on a frequency "running" stations, they don't always come back on frequency-
as a matter of fact I would say that only a handful of stations do come back
on frequency! Since our frequency is constant while running stations, we use
the RIT to move around and find the next contact. The next guy, to be
politically correct let's make that: next contact, almost never is on the
same frequency as the one you just worked so you must tune the new one in
with the RIT control.
At a rate of over one hundred per hour this means typically your hand will
go from the computer keyboard (just about everyone is using computers for
logging of contest contacts) to the RIT potentiometer several hundred times
per hour. At the end of a contact it is typical to "go back to zero" and
start over when looking for the new contact. Some of the other transceiver
manufacturers have acknowledged this and have done two things which make
this very easy to do - we hope you can, too. First, a button to return the
RIT on the Omni VI to a setting of zero offset FAST - hit it and boom your
back to zero, this would be great! Secondly, if it were possible to use to
toggle the outboard opto-tuning knob (by the way this is a great idea) for
tuning the RIT this would be even greater. With our hands at the keyboard,
simply sliding a hand over to the remote knob makes the ergonomics of
frequency adjustment efficient, efficiency wins contests.
While we have your attention, another troubling feature of the RIT on the
Omni VI. You can only adjust the RIT during receive, this is a big negative.
Again going back to the scenario where rapid paced contacts are being made,
if it were possible to return the RIT to a zero setting while I was making a
transmission to attract the next guy, I could be tuning the RIT back to zero
so that I was ready to receive the moment the relay on the rig dropped
out...not having to wait until then to return to zero. Having to wait for
key-up to change filter selection is a hassle, too.
As I gather many others have mentioned to you, the tuning rate of the RIT is
too fast also. Again, if it were on the remote knob with that large knob
tuning in a station would be much easier.
One thing some of us older guys especially miss, since the dawn of the
transceiver for CW operation, is the ability to hear our own signal.
Listening to a sidetone is a substitute - the ability to know "where you
are" in relation to another station by hearing the pitch of your own signal
is a great asset. This is an asset that was lost as a tradeoff it seems when
the HF Transceiver took over the shack.
I have included all the e-mail I accumulated on this subject, but you will
see RIT enhancement is the former agenda we feel Ten-Tec should address. The
VFO lock button would be more useful if it only locked the VFO that was in
use when it was pressed...frequently one likes to have one frequency frozen
while still being able to tune around on the other VFO, this is especially
helpful when chasing DXpeditions and you are trying to find their receive
frequency by looking for the guy they are currently working. Another
manufacturer has a momentary button which gives you a quick listen to the
frequency the transmit VFO (the other VFO) is set to, this is for that same
situation with DXpeditions where you want to transmit on the same frequency
that the successful "last guy" was on. If independent freezing of the VFOs
is possible it would be possible to run contacts by transmitting on fixed
VFO "A", and tuning for the received signals on VFO "B"...even using the
remote knob! The addition of dual receive so that you can not only monitor
the DX station but tune into the correct frequency he is listening to
without loosing track of the DX stations transmissions is also a popular
request.
I personally would like to see two DB25 connectors on the back of the rig
instead of one, since I use the remote knob it was necessary to fabricate a
y-connector when I wanted to use computer control as well as the remote knob
simultaneously. The contester searches for efficiency in station design, too
- if you had jacks for Mic and Headphone connection on the back (as well as
front) of the rig, there wouldn't be those plugs to bump into when your
hands were flying around during peak times.
Others have sought an entire remote VFO for the Omni VI, making it in
essence similar to the old Signal One or Yaesu's FT1000 series. Ability to
hear both VFOs with a mixing pot for the two audio sources to drive stereo
headphones. A narrow box sitting to the side of the Omni, basically
containing a VFO only.
But, again the hot topic (and my pet peeve!) is the RIT, what say Ten-Tec?
73,
Jim White, K1ZX
6607 Flicker Court
Seffner, FL 33584
e-mail to k1zx at mcimail.com
>From James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com> Tue Oct 10 04:00:00 1995
From: James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com> (James White)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 95 22:00 EST
Subject: Fwd: Re: guys
Message-ID: <10951010030001/0006492564PK2EM at MCIMAIL.COM>
There are in-line splices available using the guy grip/BYFT (Chinese Finger
Trap) technology. I would never use them in line on our towers due to a
desire to sleep nights, altho they have very high ratings. They may be what
the Doctor (Lawyer? :-)) ordered as far as dressing off that cable loop that
keeps the turnbuckles from untwisting (is that a word?) - they have the two
corkscrew like ends heading in both directions with the middle area
straight.
The last purchase of dead ends I made was from an electrical supply
wholesaler here in Tampa. It was a routine thing for him, right on the
shelf...at about half the price of TX Towers advert! I CANNOT EVER IMAGINE
GOING BACK TO CABLE CLAMPS, GRIPS ARE JUST TOO EASY!
zx
-----------------
Forwarded Message
Date: Mon Oct 09, 1995 9:17 pm EST
Source-Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 01:48:46 EDT
From: Fred Hopengarten
EMS: INTERNET / MCI ID: 376-5414
MBX: k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com
TO: * James White / MCI ID: 649-2564
Subject: Re: guys
Message-Id: <35951010021753/0003765414DC1EM>
Source-Msg-Id: <307a0942.k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com>
On Mon, 9 Oct 1995 08:46:00 -0700, "Gary Nieborsky"
<k7fr at ncw.net> wrote:
> Is it a faux pax to suggest using Preform grips on steel
cable guys??
K1VR replies:
Not in my book. I use them exclusively on my steel
cable guys, with the exception of the "figure 8" safety loop
at the ground end tie down (where I have clips).
--
Fred Hopengarten K1VR
Six Willarch Road * Lincoln, MA 01773-5105
home + office telephone: 617/259-0088 (FAX on demand)
internet: k1vr at k1vr.jjm.com
"Big antennas, high in the sky, are better
than small ones, low."
>From kb8pk at tc3net.com (Kevin J. Grammes) Tue Oct 10 04:24:29 1995
From: kb8pk at tc3net.com (Kevin J. Grammes) (Kevin J. Grammes)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 03:24:29 +-100
Subject: CQP de MICHIGAN
Message-ID: <01BA96BF.EEA7BC40 at tc3dialin22.tc3net.com>
CQP de MICHIGAN KG8PE
Low Power Multi-Single
OPs......
KG8PE Mike (12 YR old Extra)
KB8PK K.j.
and SARA (9 YR old studying for exam)
Band CW SSB
80 25 10
40 44 16
20 69 68
15 32 36
total 170 130 = 300 X 50 38,350 total
Comments: Many thanks for all the good and patient ops,
we had a good time. Mike agreed to let his sister have a shot
at some contacts, and she had a blast plus some of the comments
about the young yl were fun to hear. I only wish I could have missed
work and operated a little more but the kids did good. I know this doesn't
set any records but we had a great time and thats what this hobby
is all about. Thanks again for the Qs and see you next year!!!!!!!!
KB8PK.........KJ
Internet kb8pk at tc3net.com
>From Steve Maki <stevem at w8hd.org> Tue Oct 10 05:20:40 1995
From: Steve Maki <stevem at w8hd.org> (Steve Maki)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 00:20:40 -0400
Subject: Cable clamps versus Philly
Message-ID: <199510100420.AAA01139 at w8hd2.w8hd.org>
N6TR wrote
>
>The forth idea is something I saw at W7NI's house, which is using
>nyco-press (spelling?) with the wire rope stuff. This is really
>cool looking and I think is superior to using cable clamps. It
>is a little spendy and hard (but not impossible) to remove.
>
I use the aluminum duplex (aka nyco press) sleeves almost exclusively.
They work well on EHS guy wire as well as wire rope. They are cheap.
(Less than half the cost of cable clamps).
Builders Square has the 3/16" crimper for around $60, which also has
a great cutter on the side which cuts 3/16" EHS cleanly.
I haven't seen the 1/4" crimper in stores, but I can get heavy duty
ones for around $250, also cable shears which will cut 3/8" EHS
cleanly for around $250.
If any one needs sleeves or tools, let me know.
--
Steve K8LX
stevem at w8hd.org
>From broz at csn.net (John Brosnahan) Tue Oct 10 06:52:50 1995
From: broz at csn.net (John Brosnahan) (John Brosnahan)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 23:52:50 -0600
Subject: Modeling Phase flip of stacked Yagis
Message-ID: <199510100552.XAA26620 at lynx.csn.net>
>On Mon, 09 Oct 1995 17:53:00 CET, pph at dc.dk wrote:
>> Stacking beams is great for contesting and switching
>BLU (Both-Lower-Upper) or BIP/BOP (Both In Phase/Both Out of
>Phase) could be added.
In 1992 I asked Lew, K4VX, to incorporate phase and amplitude "knobs" in his
software for Yagi modeling called YagiMax. Version 3.27 (14Jan1993)
incorporated this feature and a minor bug was repaired in version 3.30. So
any version after 3.30 should be able to do up to a 4-stack with easy
variations of amplitude (for power/aperture tapering) and phase (for lobe
steering). While full phase control is massive overkill (OH8OS's paper
shows that only a couple of phase inversions are needed to cover all
relevant propagation angles) I found that there were rare times (with a 4
stack of 8L Yagis on 10M and a 4 stack of 7L Yagis on 15M) that the switch
was worth while in breaking a pileup on close in multipliers. The BIP/BOP
was rarely used but did cut the wasted time on a few multipliers -- the
Caribbean was usually handled by separate 8L Yagis at relatively low heights.
YagiMax does use a perfect ground in its model so the effects of phase and
amplitude variations over my lousy ground are only loosely approximated.
73 John W0UN
John Brosnahan W0UN
La Salle Research Corp 24115 WCR 40 La Salle, CO 80645 USA
voice 970-284-6602 fax 970-284-0979 email broz at csn.net
>From abraun at alb.med.itc.com (Alan Braun) Tue Oct 10 00:00:29 1995
From: abraun at alb.med.itc.com (Alan Braun) (Alan Braun)
Date: Mon, 09 Oct 95 23:00:29 GMT
Subject: RE ham's problems
References: <F9BmcD2w165w at w2up.wells.com>
Message-ID: <95100982829 at alb.med.itc.com>
In Article <F9BmcD2w165w at w2up.wells.com>
barry at w2up.wells.com (Barry Kutner) writes:
> James White <0006492564 at mcimail.com> writes:
>
> >
> > Yeah, 73s....there is no such thing! Think about it.
> >
> >
>
> Jeeze, I luv two sey 73s frum tha mobile wen Ime destinated!
>
Boy will I ever be glad when the CQWW comes and we can talk about
contesting again instead of grammar, spelling and ham jargon!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Alan Braun MD, NS0B/V31EV * Internet: abraun at alb.med.itc.com *
* Jefferson City, MO * Packet: NS0B at N0LBA.#cemo.mo.usa.noam *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>From KQWB55A at prodigy.com (MR STEVEN K NACE) Tue Oct 10 00:11:05 1995
From: KQWB55A at prodigy.com (MR STEVEN K NACE) (MR STEVEN K NACE)
Date: Mon, 09 Oct 1995 19:11:05 EDT
Subject: Phone Sprint log E mail address???
Message-ID: <013.02630547.KQWB55A at prodigy.com>
Is K7GM the dude for phone sprints logs and if so, could someone be
so
kind as to forward his email address. If not K7GM, who gets these
great
logs?
THANKS IN ADVANCE. KN5H KQWB55A at PRODIGY.COM
Thanks agn
>From Steve Sacco <0006901972 at mcimail.com> Tue Oct 10 12:41:00 1995
From: Steve Sacco <0006901972 at mcimail.com> (Steve Sacco)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 06:41 EST
Subject: Rotor (Rotator?) v2.0
Message-ID: <93951010114139/0006901972DC3EM at MCIMAIL.COM>
-- [ From: Steve Sacco KC2X * EMC.Ver #2.5.03 ] --
Sunday 08 October 95
version 2.0 (sorry abt the line-length problem)
KR2Q: is it "rotor", or "rotator", *OR* "azimuth direction motor"?
RE: Yaesu G-2700GSX thread: I purchased one nearly a year ago, when they were being closed-out. It would be turning my Force12 EF-340D Yagi. While this is overkill to the point of indicating mental retardation on my part - I really think you could ge
I finally installed it this past May.
Hurricane Erin blew through Central Florida this summer; the eye passed just south (1,000,000 cm or about 6 miles for you poor souls living in Burundi and elsewhere) of my QTH. Other than snapping my Gap IV in half, the only "damage" was that a few of
"No problem" I thought as I climbed up to the Yaesu rotor to
re-orient the F12. "Let's see...loosen the clamp, aim the antenna back to the correct direction...hand tighten the clamp...snap the clamp...@!#$@#!$@$!@$@#!!!!!"
Call Yaesu to order a new set. Nice guy at Yaesu parts give me a new set under warrantee. Climb back up tower with new new clamp. Verrrryyyy carefully hand tighten new clamp.
Snap new clamp.
Get the other new clamp. Install the other clamp, being even more careful. Okay! I didn't snap this one! This is ridiculous.
I mentioned this problem to a Yaesu rep during the last
"Yaesu Day" at the local radio store. He said I should pin the mast. I told him that wasn't something I wanted to do, and that the clamps should be made of more malleable material.
He shrugged his shoulders. I guess the next time I need a new rotor, I'll just look at the Yaesu/Kenpro offerings and just shrug my shoulders, and move on.
NEW Rotor Thread: This is embarrassing, but I think it means
something: The rotor is a Create RC5A-3, which has the preset function. About 5:00pm, I turned my lower 20M Yagi West yesterday afternoon to listen to the CQP action out of California, using the Preset function. Because I'm using a side mount, I can
Arghhh!!!
It was trying to turn for 10 1/2 hours!
I turned off the rotor, and went back to bed.
This morning, I switch the power back on, and tried to turn the antenna North...and IT STILL WORKED!
This MUST say something about the quality of the motor and control heads.
On the *OTHER* hand, I've just lost *BOTH* of my Create RC5A-3 control boxes on 15M. As soon as they turn, they blow a fuse.
Not just ANY fuse, but one of those dog-gone METRIC fuses;
about 30mm long! I've just replaced the fuse holders in all four of the RC5A-3s with AMERICAN fuse holders, figuring that it's much easier to get replacement fuses. I have no idea what could be wrong with them. There's no visible indication of traum
Hope these comments were helpful...
73,
Steve KC2X
ssacco at mcimail.com
Narcoosee, Florida
>From Bob Patten <z002816b at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us> Tue Oct 10 12:55:13 1995
From: Bob Patten <z002816b at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us> (Bob Patten)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 07:55:13 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: cable clamps
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9510100712.B29012-0100000 at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us>
Here's an off the wall solution to the "loose clamp" syndrome. I just
added a 10 foot section of 25G to my existing 35 feet. I used the
existing guys from the top of the tower down to the turnbuckles and
replaced the sections below the turnbuckles with pieces long enough to
reach the anchor points. Not having thought this out well enough in
advance, I then found that two of the turnbuckles were out of my reach.
Rather than replace the entire guy system, I went to the local auto parts
store and bought "cable shortners" of the variety normally used for
automobile brake cables. They worked nicely to take up the slack..
Following this move, I began reading this thread and realized I had
eliminated that problem of loosening clamps - at least at the
turnbuckles. I wonder if some manufacturer sells cable shortners for
tower installations? Not having to cut the cable to insert a turnbuckle
adds a safety factor, at least in my opinion..
Bob Patten
bobpatt at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us
>From Cain, Jim, K1TN" <jcain at arrl.org Tue Oct 10 13:03:00 1995
From: Cain, Jim, K1TN" <jcain at arrl.org (Cain, Jim, K1TN)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 08:03:00 EDT
Subject: Rotor (Rotator?) v2.0
Message-ID: <307A6092 at arrl.org>
It is rotator,
NOT rotor.
JC
>From Bob Patten <z002816b at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us> Tue Oct 10 13:02:35 1995
From: Bob Patten <z002816b at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us> (Bob Patten)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 08:02:35 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Trap vertical over seawater
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9510100709.C29012-0100000 at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us>
On 9 Oct 1995, David O. Hachadorian wrote:
> We spent a few hours in the CQP on Saturday, using an old
> Hy-gain 18AVQ trap vertical installed about 10 feet offshore in
> Imperial County's Salton Sea. The vertical had a seawater
> reflecting plane in all directions, except for the shore of the
> peninsula, which covered about 135 to 225 degrees. We had two
> bare wire radials about 30 feet long, buried in the water.
>
Yes, VERY effective. For years, the Guano Reef Bashful Perverts have
been running Field Days from the Florida Keys with a homebrew four band
vertical (made from a 30+ year old salvaged Hy-Gain beam) and a TS-130V
running 5 watts. Always have excellent results - comparable to running
the same power at home with 3 el Yagi... N4BP
>From Bob Patten <z002816b at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us> Tue Oct 10 13:09:05 1995
From: Bob Patten <z002816b at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us> (Bob Patten)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 08:09:05 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: TL-922 and CW
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9510100855.D29012-0100000 at bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us>
On Mon, 9 Oct 1995, Gary Nieborsky wrote:
> set to the SSB position??
>
If the circuit is similar to the Heath SB-220, it should work well! For
years, I've run cw contests with the mode switch on SSB for the extra output.
In the '220, the switch simply raises the power supply voltage. Plus, I
have the Peter Dahl hypersil transformer installed which, I believe,
raised the plate voltage even more.
>From Cain, Jim, K1TN" <jcain at arrl.org Tue Oct 10 13:36:00 1995
From: Cain, Jim, K1TN" <jcain at arrl.org (Cain, Jim, K1TN)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 08:36:00 EDT
Subject: CQP results
Message-ID: <307A6828 at arrl.org>
As always, the best QSO party of the year,
and a good station shakedown for the upcoming
contest season. I had just a few hours to put
the new K1TN SuperStation through its paces.
A ham-visitor from Wyoming on Thursday and
Friday got me in a "Western frame of mind." ...
Station 1:
Hallicrafters SX-111,
Drake 2NT/Hallicrafters HA-5/HA-1
Original FYO paddle (eat your heart out, Frank)
135-ft centerfed w/Johnson KW Matchbox
Station 2:
TS-690
135-ft centerfed w/Johnson KW Matchbox
As much as I relish joining the elite "Two Station
Single-Operator" group, I did not press the
TS-690 (borrowed from K5FUV) into service,
in part because the instruction manual is written
in Japanese. There also are problems of
interfacing between stations, vacuum tubes
and silicon posing various inconsistencies.
Station 1 is not quite ready for the top ten
but provides plenty of aerobics;
spotting takes three operations, the receiver
suffers an instability problem whenever
it feels like it, and band changing requires a
walk to the other side of the room (where
the Matchbox is) and three more motions.
I can't use a computer to key the 2NT
(grid-block keying), but I can't generate
a rate high enough to justify it, anyhow.
The 2NT does not seem to work on single
sideband (or AM, either, for that matter).
A cursory inspection of the
schematic revealed the absence of a modulator,
which may explain this. At any rate, I don't
seem to have a microphone anymore.
Best Ears Award: a tie between NI6T and
AB6WM. Best Signal From a "Low Power"
Station award goes to KG6GF.
40 Meters: 15 Qs
20 Meters: 36 Qs
15 Meters: 22 Qs
Loudest signal on 40: K8SR/6 (N6DX?)
Loudest signal on 20: W6EEN
Loudest signal on 15: N7CW/6
73.
JC K1TN
>From Cain, Jim, K1TN" <jcain at arrl.org Tue Oct 10 13:43:00 1995
From: Cain, Jim, K1TN" <jcain at arrl.org (Cain, Jim, K1TN)
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 08:43:00 EDT
Subject: Rotor (Rotator?) v2.0
Message-ID: <307A69F3 at arrl.org>
It's rotator.
A device that escalates (people) is an escalator.
A person who perpetrates (a crime) is a perpetrator.
Thus, if it turns something else it is a rotator;
if it, itself, turns, it is a rotor.
(The CDE manuals were written by either
engineers or tech writers, neither of which
am I!)
End of thread!
JC
>>My manuals for the older CDE Ham M and Ham III call them ROTORs. Yaesu
>>manual calls it ROTATOR.
No comment.
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