to choose or not to choose a vanity call

[WA2QNW at aol.com]

Ive been lurking the boards on this subject and have some observations:
do you really believe that a "good DX" call makes it easier to win contests??

Everyone posting a message about getting a   great call   already has a
better call than I do  WA2QNW.   Everyone is trying to decide if a U. is
better than a V and if an   A is better than an 8   DOES IT REALLY MATTER
????

this is not the same as vanity license plates   cute or easy plates dont win
any prize.

I've also been thinking about if I shud consider a call change but some
thoughts ar
I hold an advanced license so the gate is still not open
I dont operate CW in the contests
My "N" sometimes gets heard as "M"  until I remember to use NORWAY (not
NOVEMBER)
and my WA2QNW  all is quite long and makes the DX stop his cadence and think
about what he's hearing.

BUT

since 1962 Ive had the same call    its me!!!  AND 
I've managed to finish at the top of the 2nd call area and in the top U.S.10
 in every cqww/phone contest as single op/ single band for the past 8 years
and  I certainly dont have a SUPER contest station.

Look at the published results....long call letters able to score better than
shorter ones!!   forget power/equipment and forget antennas..they are equaled
out with the quality of the operator and propagation and we all know the prop
in the south U.S. demands that is the place to operate from.  

Why is it so important to focus on a 'GOOD DX CALL"  when we all know that
the best operator wins with whatever equipment he uses regardless of his what
his call !! 

I enjoy reading all the postings and I know its fun to talk about (especially
when there is no prop)   but com'mon its the operator at the mike or key
thats in wins...not his call.

Any bets that most of the new super short and perfectly listenable call will
not bring a higher relative score ????

Chuck Tames
WA2QNW   quicky nooky wacker
wa2qnw at aol.com


>From Bill.Gallier.KQ4GC at postoffice.worldnet.att.net (Billy R. Gallier)  Tue Sep  3 16:21:50 1996
From: Bill.Gallier.KQ4GC at postoffice.worldnet.att.net (Billy R. Gallier) (Billy R. Gallier)
Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 15:21:50 +0000
Subject: CQWW Ops needed
Message-ID: <19960903152148.AAA24399 at LOCALNAME>

Clay County DX Association (CCDXA) has rented the Windwood place on
St. Croix USVI October 22-29 for CQWW Contest.  We are a small club
in north Florida and have room for two more operators.  This would
make a total of six operators.  If you are interested in going and/or
more information call me, Bill Gallier at 904-282-9925 anytime. This
will be a fun trip since most of equipment, including antennas, or
in place.  

>From ppvvpp at mixcom.com (Gary Sutcliffe)  Tue Sep  3 13:58:34 1996
From: ppvvpp at mixcom.com (Gary Sutcliffe) (Gary Sutcliffe)
Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 07:58:34 -0500
Subject: contest calls
Message-ID: <199609031258.HAA23997 at mixcom.mixcom.com>


>Subject: Re: contest calls
>
>On Fri, 30 Aug 1996, Bill Coleman wrote:
>
>> >The "Lima" in my call gets by far the most repeats. Folks get

Back in the 70's when the FCC allowed extra class licensees to pick their
calls I got W0XT (later W9XT).  I thought an "X" call would be neat because
up until that time they were only issued to experimental stations.

"X" is a problem because there is only one good phonetic - X-RAY.  X-RAY
sometimes gets confused with ECHO.  When that happens you can't try a
different phonetic.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary Sutcliffe,  W9XT          Unified Microsystems
ppvvpp at mixcom.com              PO Box 133 Slinger, WI 53086
http://www.qth.com/w9xt     414-644-9036


>From kn6dv at QNET.COM (Will, KN6DV)  Tue Sep  3 15:41:30 1996
From: kn6dv at QNET.COM (Will, KN6DV) (Will, KN6DV)
Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 14:41:30 -0000
Subject: SCCC CW SPINTers needed
Message-ID: <199609031444.HAA12076 at guitar.qnet.com>

Hello, the SCCC can use some more team members for the CW Sprint this
Saturday.
Please let me know if you are interested to be on a SCCC team.

Thanks 73 Will,  KN6DV


>From hwardsil at wolfenet.com (Ward Silver)  Tue Sep  3 16:58:15 1996
From: hwardsil at wolfenet.com (Ward Silver) (Ward Silver)
Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 08:58:15 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Watt-Me-Worry in IDAHO
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.95.960903085318.3793D-100000 at gonzo.wolfenet.com>


Relax!  Idaho WILL be on the air for CW Sprint!  W7ZRC is replacing KB8N
on team #1.  (Team members, be sure to advise if you won't make it...K7LR
is standing by as an alternate entry.)

If conditions hold up, 40 should be HOT-HOT-HOT, so align those dipoles!

73, Ward N0AX

WMW#1 Rockcrushers	WMW#2 Annihilators
N0AX			KK5ZX
W0UY			NX7K
WB0OLA			WA2SRQ
K7NPN			K8JLF
W7ZRC			KN4QV
N9JF			WA7UVJ
KK9W			AC5CT
AA4GA using W4WA	N0DH
AA7NH			AA0CY
N6MZ			AA9JY


>From aa9ax at iglou.com (Steven Sample)  Tue Sep  3 14:35:56 1996
From: aa9ax at iglou.com (Steven Sample) (Steven Sample)
Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 09:35:56 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: IC765's, DVP boards and Heil mics
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.3.93.960903092509.18350C-100000 at iglou1>

snip...
> >
> >Robert has lately purchased an IC765, with which he would like to run
> >the DVP board in conjunction with CT for CQing. The DVP board worked
> >fine on his old TS930, but now after rewiring the lead to suit the ICOM,
> >the audio is very low. If an SM8 desk mic is plugged into the DVP again
> >the audio is low, but if the SM8 is plugged directly into the rig, it is
> >very strong. Is something really silly being missed here?. What is going
> >on?. Anyone else come across this problem before?  

I ran into this same problem (with a 781-the same deal) and it drove me
nutz a few years ago. I had 
purchased the Icom cable with the DVP, and presumed it would do the job
with my Icom SM-8 mike.  Upon calling the CT people, I was told that no
self-respecting contester would use an Icom mike with the DVP.  No other
help came forth.  After stumbling around on my own, someone suggested
that I check and see that the required voltage was being fed to the mike
via the DVP's cable.  It wasn't, so I had to rig a seperate wire to the
mike from an accessory socket (not too pretty!), and thereafter
everything was O.K.  My question to CT was why they sold Icom radio
cables that didn't support the Icom radio and equipment?!?!?!?!?!  Their
answer again was that they couldn't imagine anyone using an Icom mike.

I don't do much phone contesting, and I found the Icom mike to do a great 
job.> 

Anyway...that's your problem!

Good luck.

Steve/AA9AX