Fwd: W3AU Very Much So Alive

BK1ZX70SFL at aol.com BK1ZX70SFL at aol.com
Sat Jul 20 22:43:51 EDT 1996


Hee Hee

Went by to visit Honest Ed today (he is in the used car business....hence the
honest) Drove by along with WC4E and W1CW. WC4E gave a WRTC recap and Ed
showed us his current antenna farm.

Ed is doing well, he lives about 45 minutes North of Tampa in Brooksville.
Maintaining the antenna farm is a lil tougher these days but Ed (who is not
computerized or on the "reflectors") got a kick out of the overstated reports
of his demise! 

A true piece of ham radio history, Ed still has a yard full of aluminum and
several projects in the works...he lost his ten meter beam but has hdwe up
for 15, 20 and 40....the forty being a 2 element he just put up himself just
prior to WRTC. (That's right, himself!)

Ed is tuning around the bands, his call may not be as predominant, but W3AU
is indeed W3AU!

Jim    zx        k1zx at contesting.com
---------------------
Forwarded message:
From:	barry at w2up.wells.com (barry)
Sender:	owner-cq-contest at tgv.com
Reply-to:	barry at w2up.wells.com (barry)
To:	cq-contest at tgv.com
Date: 96-07-19 15:29:05 EDT

In IARU I worked W3AU, and see him listed in the letter-opener list. Is 
that the W3AU of M/M fame, or a reissue?

--

Barry N. Kutner, W2UP       Internet: barry at w2up.wells.com
Newtown, PA                 Packet Radio: W2UP @ WB3JOE.#EPA.PA.USA.NA
                            Packet Cluster: W2UP >WB2R (FRC)
.......................................................................



>From ND3A at cais.cais.com (Rob Shapiro - ND3A)  Sun Jul 21 07:48:45 1996
From: ND3A at cais.cais.com (Rob Shapiro - ND3A) (Rob Shapiro - ND3A)
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 96 23:48:45 PDT
Subject: WRTC-0? - Some Thoughts (Long)
Message-ID: <Chameleon.4.01.2.960721012207.nd3a@>

First, I would like to congratulate everyone involved in WRTC-96.  The Bay Area 
did a superb job in organizing and running the event and a great showing by all 
participants.

I guess it's time to look forward to the next WRTC, whether it's in 2000 or 2001.  
Let me throw out some ideas and let's hear on the reflector what everyone has 
to say.  I have my flame retardant clothes on so don't worry!

First, having been involved in the PVRC attempt to host WRTC-95, I believe a 
host should be chosen for the next event as soon as possible.  This will allow 
organizers ample time to obtain financial support and plan everything.  My guess 
is having a host chosen by two years prior to the target date for the competition.  
I realize NCCC had less than a year, but I believe (or would like to believe) that 
the work done by PVRC allowed NCCC to not have to start from scratch.  I don't 
know when Seattle was chosen to host WRTC-90.

Where should the next one take place?  I believe a great effort should be to find 
a suitable locale outside North America.  The Olympics are moved around the 
world, so why not WRTC?  Also, I heard that jetlag was a problem for many of the 
non-North American contestants.  For one who does a bit of travelling, spread 
the joy of flying around!  In that case, most people might start thinking about 
Europe or Japan.  Major cities in both regions have large concentrations of hams 
==> contestors ==> contest stations.  Those are two choices well worth 
considering, but let me propose one other - Sydney, Australia.  I've seen a couple 
of comments about WRTC being a demonstration Olympic sport, and Sydney is 
hosting the 2000 summer games in late 2000 (don't forget the reversal of 
seasons in the southern hemisphere.)  I realize there are potential problems with 
Sydney, i.e. long flights for most contestants contest activity in/around Sydney.  
The big advantage would be potential great media coverage and sponsorship 
due to the completed or pending Olympics.  JUST A THOUGHT!

Let me say this about my next thought - I'm just throwing out ideas for people to 
consider and get their juices flowing.  Therefore, it may not be politically correct to 
some.  I propose that the next WRTC take place during CQWW SSB with 
second choice being CQWW CW.  The reasons follow:

1.  I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of semi-serious to serious contestors 
hold CQWW in the highest esteem compared to all other contests.  All 
contestants contact stations worldwide, unlike ARRL DX.  You are not rewarded 
for making contacts with same-country stations other than country and zone 
multiplier credit.  The IARU contest does reward same-country QSOs with points. 
 I believe WRTC contestants should have to make a concerted effort to QSO dx 
stations, and not run the "locals".  Also, people are used to using one mode 
during a given CQWW.

2.  The WRTC stations could be made to count as multipliers as in the IARU, 
wheher as one-time multipliers or once per band.  I favor the one-time multiplier 
for each station so that other CQWW participants would not concentrate solely 
on QSO'ing them as was the case in the IARU contest.

3.  Let the teams operate in the multi-single category.  One rig should not be 
constrained to receive-only as was the case last weekend.  I believe this would 
enable the multiplier totals of the teams to increase, if the effort is made to 
search and pounce.  Also, to enable stations to host teams, the teams could be 
constrained to 10m-40m operation as was done this past weekend.  A common 
off-time could also be imposed on the teams, so that it's not a 100% endurance 
contest for the contestants and for the judges!  The off-time could be when 80m 
and 160m operation would normally be taking place.

3.  I mention CQWW SSB vice CW because the SSB weekend occurs closest to 
the autumnal equinox.  Sun lighting conditions would be similar worldwide and 
not favor either hemisphere to a great extent.  That weekend has appeared to 
me to have a slight edge in propogation in years past compared with the CW 
weekend, when operating from the east coast U.S.  Finally, the general public 
cannot copy cw.  This is important considering videos made for the public, media 
coverage, especially if a demo Olympic event.

4.  Notice that I said "next" WRTC, and not all future ones.  There might be a 
general agreement that CQ and ARRL (CQWW and ARRL DX) should alternate 
from one WRTC to another.  Also, I (and probably many others) would have no 
problem with a cw contest.

There's more I could probably say, but this is a handful for now.  Please throw out 
your comments/suggestions to the reflector and lets make the next WRTC better 
than the previous two, which won't be easy.

As a footnote to comments made about the next W1AW location during IARU, 
W7RM sounds like a great idea.  Another PVRC'er!!!

73 and good contesting, Rob  


Rob Shapiro - ND3A
Potomac Valley Radio Club
Member of W1AW/3 team
Internet: nd3a at cais.com




>From n3rr at cais.cais.com (Bill Hider)  Sun Jul 21 03:03:25 1996
From: n3rr at cais.cais.com (Bill Hider) (Bill Hider)
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 22:03:25 -0400
Subject: Frankenstein + Murphy = oops
Message-ID: <2.2.16.19960721020321.2e9f0a3e at cais.com>

Well, I almost had my new Force 12 (EF-180C) 80M rotatable dipole checked
out today...almost...

Brian, WA3WJD, was on the tractor pulling the 5/8" rope which went through a
block at the base section of the tower.  The rope went up the tower to
another block at 110 ft. From there the rope went into my back yard and was
attached to the antenna.  A tag line was attached to the antenna and run
directly away from the tower and was attached to my Chevy 20/350V8 Van,
about 75 feet away.  We were hoisting the antenna up to 50 ft to check out
the SWR and the relay switching in the fiberglass switchbox attached to the
mast.

You guessed it....the block at the tower base actually cut the rope holding
the block to the tower and the antenna went into free-fall from 40-45 feet!

That smashed the switchbox, broke one of the relays inside, and bent 8
segments of aluminum tubing making up the the antenna making this the first
antenna to fall off the tower.

But, Frankenstein, Jr., the EF-180A antenna that this one replaced, was
staring at us in a heap in the yard as well.  Ahhha, canibalization, what a
fortunate methodology!  We used parts from Frank, Jr. and rebuilt
Frankenstein, Sr. and it is ready to go.  Brian voluntered to rebuild the
fiberglass switchbox, so he'll be at that for a while...probably a couple weeks.

So, hopefully, I'll be back on 80 in time for the CQ WW SSB contest, but it
won't be easy.

73!

Bill, N3RR


>From k2mm at jzap.com (John LastMinute Zapisek K2MM)  Sun Jul 21 04:19:15 1996
From: k2mm at jzap.com (John LastMinute Zapisek K2MM) (John LastMinute Zapisek K2MM)
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 20:19:15 -0700
Subject: WRTC Logs Now Available Via FTP
Message-ID: <199607210319.UAA13013 at jzap.com>

The WRTC-96 competitors' logs are now available via anonymous FTP at:

    ftp://jzap.com/pub/wrtc/logs

See the README file in this directory.  Subdirectories exist with the logs
in three formats:  plain text, PC zipped, and UNIX compressed.

There are also two files of interest in the parent directory:

    results	annotated with the logging-software used by each team
    spots	packet spots recorded by Jim Reisert, AD1C.

73 and enjoy!  --jzap

John Zapisek K2MM <k2mm at jzap.com>

P.S.  I did NOT write the log-checking software, as Bob/N6IP's web page had
transiently indicated.  (Thanks anyway, Bob!)  The software was done by Tree
Tyree, N6TR.  And it performed wonderfully.  Many thanks, Tree!

P.P.S.  Well-deserved congratulations to the log-checking staff who stayed
up all Saturday night while the competitors slept.  They are:

    Dick Norton, N6AA, Master Cruncher
    Phil Goetz, N6ZZ, Journeyman Cruncher
    Tine Brajnik, S50A
    Ville Hiilesmaa, OH2MM
    Paolo Cortese, I2UIY
    Glenn Rattmann, K6NA


>From nl7gp at alaska.net (Jonathan Kimball)  Sun Jul 21 07:38:38 1996
From: nl7gp at alaska.net (Jonathan Kimball) (Jonathan Kimball)
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 22:38:38 -0800
Subject: NL7GP  in Minn. now!
Message-ID: <31F1D06E.11D7 at alaska.net>

Any ham events in Minneapolis this weekend??  Have 2-3 days of play time 
sun.mon.tues.  pse call Holiday Inn for Kimball,Jon in University 
District.  Or call cellular: Local 612.720.7626 plus 907.440.4254 when 
accessed.  Tnx de Jon NL7GP

>From bigdon at eskimo.com (Big Don)  Sun Jul 21 11:53:43 1996
From: bigdon at eskimo.com (Big Don) (Big Don)
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 03:53:43 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Frankenstein + Murphy = oops
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.95.960721031832.7512A-100000 at eskimo.com>

On Sat, 20 Jul 1996, Bill Hider wrote:
> [...]
> Brian, WA3WJD, was on the tractor pulling the 5/8" rope which went through a
> block at the base section of the tower.  The rope went up the tower to
> another block at 110 ft. From there the rope went into my back yard and was
> attached to the antenna.  A tag line was attached to the antenna and run
> directly away from the tower and was attached to my Chevy 20/350V8 Van,
> [...] 
> You guessed it....the block at the tower base actually cut the rope holding
> the block to the tower and the antenna went into free-fall from 40-45 feet!
> [...]

Big Don was present at a similar deal:  My buddy had just had surgery and
his antenna needed work so I volunteered for the heavy stuff, normally he 
could do the whole thing single-handed. It was a 60' Heights aluminum job
with a 4-el quad, a free-standing-rated tower, but he had a couple guy
sets since, in the best DXing tradition, it was substantially overloaded. 
It was a hinged base tower next to his house.

To get it down, he used his jeep with a power winch.  First step was to
run the winch cable up to a pulley attached to a fitting in the house
roof, and then up to the 50' level on the tower where a "pull rope" was
also attached.  We then removed the base bolts and disconnected the guys 
so the tower was free to hinge over and my job was to pull the rope to get
it started after he put a little slack in the cable. The procedure was for
it to stop a few degrees off vertical and then to lower it the rest of the
way down with the power winch.
 
Although he had done this many times before and claimed it worked "slick
as snot," Big Don wasn't convinced.  I had decided if it didn't stop 10-15
degrees off vertical I would make a dive for the other side of the yard to
avoid getting hit (yard wasn't big enuff to use a really long rope).

Sure enuff, when I pulled, the tower showed no sign of slowing down where
it should, so I made a beeline for the other side of the yard and dove
onto the grass.

He had put too much slack in the cable and the tower arrested at about 45
degrees.  When I looked up, the tower was vibrating...boingy, boingy,
boingy... like a guitar string in the fundamental mode with a freq of
about 1 Hz and an amplitude of plus or minus 3 feet at the halfway point
on the tower.  My buddy was ROTGLHFAO.

No damage to anything and the rest of the day went smoothly.

Big Don




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