[CQ-Contest] and now you know the REST of the story

[Jim White, K4OJ]

K4OJ, the rest of the story....

Started the contest a few minutes late not looking to do much with all the
appropriate rotors broken...but...knew I could make some decent points for
our club so I would give it some effort - would make a thousand QSOs and
re-evaluate how I felt on Sunday....

00 Zulu Friday

I ended up starting with the fourth computer I tried - the first three
seemed hosed, jeezus - cannot remember the time it took four computers to
find ONE that worked ok...was unable to do the other computer/network thing
either which in addition to allowing more screens to be seen quickly also
serves as a nice way to back up a log (see below!!!!!!!!!).

Could not get anything going in the beginning - heard NN4X running some JA -
but found myself in pileups with other Floridians then and all weekend long
getting CQ'd back in our faces...but then I would sometimes find I was
breaking major pileups, too...very strange - busted the WH0 pileup at the
end without a Pacific antenna and barefoot, too.

As the weekend continued the power output on the Alpha got lower and lower
and lower - by Saturday night it was not adding but mebbe 25 or 30 watts...I
fear the tubes finally REALLY went to contest heaven - it was showing signs
during the CQWWCW but it was a rapid decline this weekend...alas....a lot of
QSOs were made on those tubes...a REAL LOT so I cannot be too
disappointed...problem is the other linear is broken, too so gotta get
something cooking before ARRL DX!  Anyone interest in a toast Alpha 374 or
Ameritron AL82?  What about an old Henry 2K?

As I was shutting down on Friday eve when I realized I had not backed up to
a floppy - when I went to save to floppy all hell broke loose and I started
getting error messages from Dell....stuff I ain't never seen before, system
messages that looked really scary - it looked really bad...it won't even
boot now - am afraid if I re-load a DOS system onto it I might wipe the hard
drive - anyone have experience on this?  I would love to salvage those JA'
QSOs from Friday!

Woke up on schedule Saturday but felt ill right in the middle of the EU
opening - same thing on Sunday - so missed the best run hours of the contest
pretty much so...oh well....slept for several hours both mornings during the
teens.

I spent Saturday watching the power go down and the agony of losing Friday
nights op time....it wasn't a lot - about a hundred QSOs - but I know there
are several multipliers there that I could not find again.

By Sunday I decided to try and work everyone and if they told me dupe please
QSO me again - everyone did - one station has been slamming me on the
CQ-Contest reflector for asking for another QSO with him - cannot figure out
why - I waited 'til the end when rates were slow to call domestic guys - it
is not like I messed up his rate...and beside unless he is one of the two
guys who are not computer logging it has no effect on him other than perhaps
if he is self conscious and feels that if his log contains dupes it will be
scrutinized...sounds like a personal problem.

In this age of computerized scoring it is not like I ask a lot of you to
work me again!  This station seems to think that it is my tough luck, buzz
off...obviously he is not a member of a club who wants to contribute to his
clubs success by maximizing his contribution - believe me I thought about
punting after Friday night and doing some Christmas shopping.  Once again I
guess this is proof we live in a very "ME" generation...to the guy slamming
me imagine how bad I will feel if our club loses the club competition
category by a few points!  I tried to undo as much of that as
possible...knowing that I missed Brett and another few DX mults who never
showed up on Sunday but at least I tried to maximize my score as best I
could.

Yes, I duped a bunch of you guys but they will not be dupes on my end most
likely as I am fairly certain the log from Friday will NOT be
recoverable...and even if it is - so what?  Once again I state just log
everyone and the heck with worrying about it - it is not like you are
claiming points for the dupes at all - the computer scores them at zero
points! I think this guy just has some kind of a retentive thing going
on..."if I have dupes I must look like a cheater".....

Started the contest with a linear, ended up barefoot...started contest
anticipating a non-serious effort and I ended up getting more serious as
problems surfaced....bottom line is it was a good weekend for practicing
work-around schemes and on the fly solutions...kinda like Field Day...only
on Monday after it is over to get slammed on the reflector really takes some
of the fun out of it...if I remember my French from high school - headache
is "MAL de tete"...and I got one.

Of course checking in with other club members on Saturday night to hear
K1TO's low power score 400 QSOs ahead of mine did not help either...Dan is a
mutant, needs a separate category MO2R.

congrats K1KI and W4ZV for a super showing!

Season's greetings to everyone - I need some amp repair work done - anyone
know of a good tech in Florida or South Georgia?  Wanna holiday project, buy
a broken amp and make it new - it will keep you out of the bar!!

May Santa bring you high rates and many multipliers!


73,

Jim, K4OJ
Founder-Florida Contest Group



Here is what my summary sheet will look like assuming I do not salvage
Friday nights log...



                            2001 ARRL TEN METER CONTEST


     Call used: K4OJ                                           Location: FL

     Category: Single Op All Band         Mode: CW              Power: 1500,
no 700, no 400...ok 200

     Callsign of Operator: K4OJ

     If multi-operator, show calls of all operators and loggers:




     Exchanged Information: K4OJ RST FL


     Hours of Operation: 20:14


     band      QSOs      points    mults
     -----------------------------------
     CW        1156        4624     140
     PH           0           0       0
     -----------------------------------
     TOTAL     1156        4624     140      SCORE: 647,360


     Club or Team Name: Florida Contest Group


     Comments:

      Murphy - you SOB!  Illness and smoked linear = good thing I like this
stuff!



     I have observed all competition rules as well as all regulations for
     amateur radio  in my country.  My report  is correct and true to the
     best of my knowledge.  I agree  to be bound by  the decisions of the
     ARRL Awards Committee.


     Date_________ Signature_____________________________ Call____________


     Name:     Jim White                       Call: K4OJ
                   3527 King George Lane
                   Seffner, FL  33584


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