[CQ-Contest] Power Level

[Michael Tope]

It occured to me today that part of the problem with the power debate is lack
of a uniform convention for where power should be measured. Seems like a
simple  solution would be to specify that output power shall be measured no
farther than 5 feet after the position of the last active (power adding) RF
device in the circuit. In other words - a libertarian approach - measure the
power leaving the shack, treating the shack as a black box. What the
operator does inside the shack to generate those watts is his business. 

This approach would proclude guys with long lossy coax runs from making up
for it with extra power and wattmeters at the antenna feed, but it would
still give the station designer the flexibility to lump the losses of his
TVI filters, stubs, switches, and bandpass filters into the transmitter. The
output connector  would become the intersection of the surface of an
imaginary sphere 10' in diameter centered on the last active device and the
output feedline. What goes on inside the imaginary sphere would be at the
discretion of the station owner. If a station owner runs lossy stub filters
after his amp, then he could still get legal limit power out of his shack
(all he has to do is pay for the electric and deal with the extra heat). No
one will be able to admonish a fellow operator for generating his 150 watts
of "output power" with an unconventional combination of equipment. The guy
running an old Heathkit Warrior after his Ten-Tec Argosy won't be forced to
trade it in on a $3000 radio just so he won't be called a cheater. 

The choice of 5' is arbitrary - anything from 5' to 15' would serve. 



73 de Mike, W4EF........
*********************************
* Michael C. Tope               *
* Jet Propulsion Laboratory     *
* Section 333                   *
* M.S. 238-737                  *
* Tel (818) 354-1335            *
* Fax (818) 354-2825            *
* email: mtope at jpl.nasa.gov     *
*********************************



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>From William N. Goodman, CPA" <goodmancpa at enter.net  Mon Aug 10 22:56:27 1998
From: William N. Goodman, CPA" <goodmancpa at enter.net (William N. Goodman, CPA)
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 17:56:27 -0400
Subject: [CQ-Contest] CQWW CW WEEKEND
Message-ID: <005201bdc4a9$ba8d9540$3047aacc at default>


Many of you have ignored the PA holiday:  PA buck deer hunting starts the
Monday after Thanksgiving.  Now we have a real conflict.  It is hard to
drive 225 miles to my favorite remote wilderness hunting cabin and operate
the CQ WW CW DX contest the prior weekend.  Leaves no time for scouting for
the deer, setting up the cabin, socializing in our multi multi hunting camp,
and getting sufficient rest.  Every few years the contest lands on the
weekend before Thanksgiving.   So that gives us a break for deer hunting,
but it collides with PA bear hunting season, which is the Monday through
Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  Now if CQ could convince the PA Game
Commission (not gambling, but wild animals) to switch bear hunting season
earlier one week, and the buck deer season later one week, we would all be
happy.  Such is the complicated life of a dedicated radio contester and
hunter.  One sport suffers.  Do I hear any sympathy, jeers or cheers?  73,
Bill, K3ANS >>
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Fulp <k3ww at fast.net>
To: CQ-Contest at contesting.com <CQ-Contest at contesting.com>
Date: Monday, August 03, 1998 12:08 PM
Subject: [CQ-Contest] CQWW CW WEEKEND



>I agree with your assessment.  I see no reason to move the contest
>weekend.  The holiday here in the States is on *Thursday*.  The
>weekend is no different than any other.

>73, J.P. W2XX

JP is correct about the holiday being on Thursday, for those of us who work
Friday, there never has been a "Thanksgiving weekend"; however ...
the  "The weekend is no different than any other"   is incorrect... CQWW CW
weekend from a personal enjoyment standpoint,
is the BEST WEEKEND of the year, even better than Christmas (in the FUN area
at least)

73 Chas K3WW

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