Field Day Secrets From Repeaterville

[gdo at aloft.att.com]

Hi Walt,
  I believe you did NOT make this up.  Our local podunk press generally did
a great job covering our FD, but really flubbed some of the details.  I did
my best to ensure the accuracy of their notes, but they still goofed it up.
  Despite their mistakes, I was quite happy with their stories.  Bear in
mind, however, that the press is notorious for twisting the truth.  Sometimes
it's accidental.  I'm sure (I hope) that your example is such a case.
   Vy 73 de Glenn, N3BDA

> The following is excerpted from an article in the Port St. Lucie News on
> June 23:
> 
> "It [Field Day] is a contest of sorts" said John Bolduc, a member of the
> Port St. Lucie Amateur Radio Association.  He added: "Most of the
> transmitters don't use electricity."
> 
> (I did NOT make this up!)
> 73, Walt, AC1O


>From jreid at aloha.net (Jim Reid)  Wed Jul  3 21:00:39 1996
From: jreid at aloha.net (Jim Reid) (Jim Reid)
Date: Wed, 03 Jul 1996 10:00:39 -1000
Subject: cw forever?
Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19960703200039.0067ebc0 at aloha.net>

At 12:38 PM 7/3/96 -0400, you wrote:
>>I would like to hear from contesters with digital mode and cw experience
>>regarding their thoughts on how cw, rtty, and state of the art digital
>>modes compare for contest-style weak signal work.
>
>Theoretically, CW doesn't stand a chance.

Yes,  but try hearing (seeing) those weak digital signals
on a busy band during a digital contest!  Or,  actually,
try to find them just calling a random CQ;  just about
not possible.  PACTOR,  etc all work to skeds,  as far
as I know (which really isn't much!).

73,  Jim, AH6NB


>From larrytx at SSD.intel.com (LarryX Tyree contractor for brentc)  Wed Jul  3 21:33:09 1996
From: larrytx at SSD.intel.com (LarryX Tyree contractor for brentc) (LarryX Tyree contractor for brentc)
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 96 13:33:09 PDT
Subject: WRTC hints
Message-ID: <9607032033.AA00827 at tensor.SSD.intel.com>

             ALMOST FIFTY WAYS TO ANNOY YOUR WRTC PARTNER
           by KC7KMC and others who wish to remain anonymous

 1. Inspect the shack that you will be using for the contest and then ask
    how to tune up the amplifier.

 2. Perform a ritual before starting the contest which includes an animal
    sacrafice.

 3. Bring a gallon jug and put it next to you under the operating table.  
    Add lemon-aide to it during the contest when nobody is looking.  
    Never be seen going to the bathroom.

 4. Listen to the run radio when your partner is running stations and 
    write down imaginary callsigns on a piece of paper.  Shake your head
    when he calls them and they don't come back.

 5. Bring enough food to feed a family of six for a week, but don't share
    any of it.

 6. Learn to levitate.  When your partner isn't watching you, float up out
    of your chair.  When they look, fall back into your chair and grin.

 7. Twitch a lot.  Kick the table often.

 8. Pretend to talk while pretending to be asleep.

 9. Bring six packs of Jolt cola along.  Drink one every 30 minutes.  Stack 
    them on top of the radio and number them.

10. Kill bugs in the shack with the keyer paddle. 

11. Bring back issues of QST and CQ with you. Point out all of the times 
    your call is listed in the contest writeups.  If you run out of 
    magazines, show your partner all the times he was mentioned in the 
    writeups.  Count the numbers and see who was mentioned the most.
    Fudge the numbers so you win by one.

12. Smoke ball point pens.

13. Put some food in the bottom of the trash can.  When you get hungry, root
    around in the trash and pull something out and eat it.

14. Spill half of each Jolt cola onto the keyboard.

15. Act real tense whenever your partner logs a QSO - as if he got the call
    wrong, but you are afraid to mention it.

16. Whenever your partner starts a new CQ, jump out of your chair as if
    someone was calling him.

17. Turn the beam 180 degrees often to check for a long path opening that
    isn't there.

18. Insist that 40 meters will be open to Europe at 0410Z.  Of course it 
    won't be for those with dipoles and 100 watts.

19. Ask your partner if you can get them some water.  If they say yes, get
    up to get it.  Come back 30 minutes later without it.

20. Pretend you don't know the code and you are just a "codeless tech".

21. Always listen to your partner's run frequency with the second receiver.
    Make a big deal when you copy something your partner missed making 
    sure he can't hear the missing part and find out you were wrong.
    
22. If your partner asks you to check out 10 meters, listen to the CB band.

23. If your partner asks you to check out 15 meters, just listen in the
    novice band.

24. Insist on using a different logging program than your partner is using.
    Spend 30 minutes writing a "quick" routine to convert the data - only
    in one direction.

25. Whenever your partner works a good multiplier, inform them that you had
    already worked it and it is a dupe.  This is because the routine you
    wrote in item #24 didn't convert the data both ways.

26. Call your partner by the wrong name.  Suggestion: Call them "John" and
    ask how they like working at CQ.

27. Bring a zone list that is 30 years old.  Insist that it is always right
    and whoever generated the country file didn't know anything.

28. Insist that Japan is in ITU zone 25 and that you know that is right
    because you worked the contest last November.

29. Pretend all surprising openings are common and should have been expected.

30. Distract your partner with up to the date propagation forecasts computed
    every hour from WWV numbers.   If you can receive WWVH, do it every
    30 minutes.

31. After the contest - make a few edits to fix some data and loose half
    of the log.

32. When taking over the run radio, always increase the code speed by at least
    six WPM.

33. Whenever working an ON station, take time out to ask how the WX is there
    in Amsterdam.

34. Carry on loud conversations with your judge.  Make comments about your
    partner's performance.  Always refer to how things should pick up when
    the sun goes down.

35. Ask the station owner's daughter to spend time in the shack.  This works
    best if they are between the ages of 4 and 7.  Give them some of your
    partner's cookies.  Give them some of your Jolt cola.

36. When it is your turn to operate, always switch to a band you haven't
    made any QSOs on.  Run up a big rate. When it starts slowing down,
    give the run radio back to your partner.

37. Bring a TV into the shack and watch Saturday morning cartoons.  Ask your
    partner to try 15 and see if it gets rid of the TVI.

38. Ask to trade chairs at least once an hour.

39. Grease down your hair, especially near your ears where the headphones 
    sit.

40. Eat garlic before operating SSB with the boom mic.

41. Bring your two meter HT along.  Have it monitoring police calls during
    the contest.  Always ask your partner if he heard the "CODE 3" that just
    came over.  Tell the story about how you heard about a burglar in your
    neighborhood one night.

42. Put the computer into Auto-CQ mode, get up and walk outside for 
    10 minutes.

43. Reverse the markings on the coax connectors.  When your partner
    notices that you are using the dipole on 15, explain how a 40
    meter dipole sometimes works better than a tribander.  Be very
    sympathetic when your partner uses the "tribander" on 20 and 
    can't work anyone.

Here are a few things you can do to entertain your judge/referee:

1. Bring a tape recording of the last sprint and play it through his
   headphones.  See how long it takes to notice names were being 
   sent.

2. Bring a CD player and play the last 2 minutes of the 1812 Overture
   at full volumne through his headphones.

3. Leave the wattmeter in the REVERSE position.

4. Send CW faster than he can copy.

5. Turn down the volumne of your rig really low so his low impedance
   headphones won't produce enough volume.

6. When the contest is over, hand him three disks.

See you all next week!!

Derick KC7KMC

>From Andrew at gi0nwg.demon.co.uk (Andrew Williamson)  Wed Jul  3 21:55:53 1996
From: Andrew at gi0nwg.demon.co.uk (Andrew Williamson) (Andrew Williamson)
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 1996 21:55:53 +0100
Subject: FT1000MP TX problems
Message-ID: <$u42IKAZ5t2xEw4D at gi0nwg.demon.co.uk>

(This message was also posted to the Yaesu reflector.)

Hi all,
  I have a problem with my FT1000MP and was wondering has anyone else
had this problem, or know how to cure it.

When the 'MP is cold it works fine. When it warms up, after about 20-30
minutes, a strange thing happens whereby the SWR reading goes to
infinity on the rising edge of speech and CW. The antennas have been
checked with various other rigs, so no problem there. This problem is
mainly seen on 15 and 17M. When it happens, there is a type of 'buzzing'
sound from inside the radio (bouncing relays ??). 

My radio is an AC model and has a serial number in the 5F010XXX series.
A friend has a DC model in the 5L030XXX series which has the SAME
problem! Both radio's are in GI-land. How widespread is this? When this
happens, the radio is basically unusable.

My 'MP has been returned to Yaesu UK to be fixed, but came back with a
service report which stated:-
Checked and tested all alignments and connections. 5/5
Checked 15 and 17 M bands extensively under varied conditions. 5/5
Also stated on the report was:- Labour: 1 hour.

How can anybody do the above work and test the radio EXTENSIVELY in just
one hour??? Not possible I say. Also the radio was away for one month to
do just one hours work !!!!! Needless to say I am not very happy.

My friends radio is actually somewhat worse than mine. One time whilst
operating 20M CW, this problem occured, then promptly reset the CPU. He
ended up on 7.000.00 CW with all menu settings cleared. What is wrong
here??? 

An FT990, FT102, TS930, TS430, IC735, and IC765 have worked flawlessly
on the same antennas, so it looks like something is seriously amiss with
the 'MP. Any ideas ??

Also, has anyone experienced RF feedback type problems on the 'MPs
internal speaker when another rig is transmitting on another band. I've
had this in the middle of a contest. VERY off-putting.

If anyone has experienced similar problems, drop me a line so I have
more ammunition when I start hammering on Yaesu's desk. Has anyone had
any joy in getting Yaesu to fix a similar problem ?

Looking forward to the replies.  

Andrew Williamson, GI0NWG (+G3OZF - U.K. team for WRTC)
E-mail     : andrew at gi0nwg.demon.co.uk
One of the WestNet DX Gang.
Operations from EU006,007,103,106,124.
Please call us in the IOTA contest from EU-124 as GW6J.