Cal QSO Party

[Dhueben at aol.com]

Does anyone have the resultrs from the 1995 Cal QSO Party? Thanks. Please
respond directly to dhueben at aol.com.

>From steve.steltzer at paonline.com (WF3T)  Sat Jun  1 06:30:21 1996
From: steve.steltzer at paonline.com (WF3T) (WF3T)
Date: Sat, 01 Jun 1996 02:30:21 -0300
Subject: Kenwood / Trucker freqs

Gentlemen,
        An explaination of why I view Kenwood's new marketing thrust so
seriously. 
        If anyone doubts the ham bands would soon be full of garbage, take a
scan across 26 to 28 megs AM in early evening when there's E-skip. The
truckstop CB shops have been full of expanded freq CBs for the past 4 or 5
years now. They call em "uppers and lowers". What they do is add or subtract
a set amount of KC to the CB channel fundamental, putting the rig into who
knows who's frequency allocations. I would estimate at least 25% of the
trucks on the highway today have and use these radios. And not with 5 watts
either! 4, 5, and 600 watt linears are the norm. Most of these bozo's have
no idea they are even on illegal freqs. They think they're still in the CB
band. After all, if they're selling these things everywhere, they must be
legal, right? And those who do know could care less, they know FCC
enforcement is a joke. And if ya really wanna turn your hair white, listen
to channel 19 (27.185??) for an hour. 
        Now, imagine what happens when they discover 40 and 20 mtrs, and
that they can talk to their buddies anytime, anywhere in the country. Sure
glad I'm a CW op, with 250 hz filters, I'll stand a chance of working
through them. You guys will have lots of fun in the phone tests. (Yep, this
is CONTEST related). 
        While the Amateur market may be small in comparison to Kenwood's
overall sales, I'd bet the Brooklyn Bridge a threatened major boycott will
NOT be trivial to the director of amateur marketing (or whatever title he
has) in North America, since it will be HIS job on the line. And, in fact,
if it was his brilliant idea, he deserves to lose it. Another perfect
example of selling your soul for a buck (or a vote). Yeah, stab your
grandmother in the back if it'll make you a VP or raise the stock price.
Will the moral/ethical degradation going on in this country today ever be
stopped? 
        Sincere thanks to every one of you who have already responded and
emailed / written Kenwood. And again I urge every one who hasn't to do so NOW.
        
        This will be my last post here on this subject, other than to say a
mass thank you in a week or two. Thanks for the bandwidth.
                                                                     73, Steve


*\*  steve.steltzer at paonline.com (WF3T)  *\*
*\*        Harley Davidson Inc.          *\*


>From kr2j at ix.netcom.com (Robert E. Naumann)  Sat Jun  1 04:07:39 1996
From: kr2j at ix.netcom.com (Robert E. Naumann) (Robert E. Naumann)
Date: Fri, 31 May 1996 22:07:39 -0500
Subject: ARRL Letter excerpts: 5/31/96
Message-ID: <01BB4F46.A9ACCDC0 at dfw-tx20-02.ix.netcom.com>

How come these truckers have so much money ?

>>Bet the Kenwoods
will go well at trucks stops across the Southwest on the mainland.
I've seen some pretty free-thinking types at those truck stops out
across Arizona and other SW'trn states desert spots!  Yes sir,  they
were all decked out in silver and turquoise jewelry, and could really
swagger about, and had it to spend,  big time, good buddy!<<


>From km9p at contesting.com (Bill Fisher, KM9P)  Sat Jun  1 05:53:26 1996
From: km9p at contesting.com (Bill Fisher, KM9P) (Bill Fisher, KM9P)
Date: Sat, 1 Jun 1996 00:53:26 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: SHORTEN WPX? N6TJ comments
Message-ID: <199606010453.AAA16197 at paris.akorn.net>

At 01:28 PM 4/4/96 PST, you wrote:
>I always thought that one of the fundamental benefits of contesting was 
>that it gave you an opportunity TO OPERATE.  Therefore, I don't understand 
>these earnest desires by KM9P, VK5GN, and others to actually SHORTEN 
>contests.  At the rate we're going, the contests of the future will be one 
>hour long so that we can all sit around and use the remaining 47 hours to 
>contemplate why contesting is dying and they're no longer fun.

This slippery-slope argument is laughable it's so weightless.

>As a serious contest expeditioner, I truly welcomed the move of the WPX 
>from 30 hours to 36 hours, and I'd be even happier if it was extended to 
>48 hours.  And contrary to what KM9P apparently believes, some of us are 
>still doing 48-straight, and lovin' it.  I liken the 48-hour contest to 
>running the marathon where endurance should be (and is) a definite measure 
>of total skill.  And if senior citizens like N6TJ, OH2MM, and others can 
>still do 48-straight, why can't these young whipper-snappers today cut the 
>mustard?

Jim,

-Your argument and opinion would hold a lot more water HAD YOU ACTUALLY
OPERATED THE WPX.  You welcomed the change... but, well... not enough to
operate.  

-We have 4 weekends each year where you elderly marathon runners can fly off
to your equatorial wheelchair QTH's and show us all how it's done.  I'm
guessing that if you actually stayed in California to operate the DX
contests that you would be singing a different tune.  My experience tells me
that it's a heck of a lot easier to stay awake when guys are calling you for
48 hours.  The 30 hour format gave the WPX a uniqueness I miss.

-And as far as cutting the mustard...  I'm cutting it a lot more than once
or twice a year OM.

73

Bill, KM9P
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