[CQ-Contest] SS Answers DE VY1JA

[J. Allen]

The pre-SS e-mail is starting to arrive.  A lot of the messages have the
same concerns, so this may be quicker.

Yes, I plan to be on for both weekends, CW and SSB and to put in a solid
effort, missing time for TaeKwon-Do on Saturday afternoons, and Church on
Sunday morning.

For CW also watch for VY1AC, Frank, and during the SSB contest there are a
number of guys... faithful Bob, VY1MB, and a lots of others.  I have really
come to appreciate Bob's help making YT easy to find in these contests.

This year's plan is that QRP will again be remembered by VY1JA every hour at
approximately on the half hour.  If I forget in the rush, remind me.

When QRP is called for, let them call and make their QSOs.  Usually there
are only 4 or 5 maximum and then we go back to general QSOs.  Please do not
drop calls during the QRP QSOs as it makes them more difficult and time
consuming to complete.

We loose East coast propagation early in the day, so I tend to favor them in
the early pileups.  Even during Auroras, the propagation favors the N-S path
so I can usually work CA, OR, WA, NV and others along that general heading,
under less than optimum conditions, later in the day.

If all goes well, I may even have a beam up and be able to add a little
directivity to the equations.  Yes, the rotator cable is here and no, the
good rotator did not arrive yet, so I may be wired with a rotator with no
brake, and you may find QSB that is station related if there is a wind.

The wind is down now and I am planning to go up the 80 foot tower today, and
fix the connections on the big V-Beam.  That will take one unknown out of
Murphy's kit bag.

Hey, this hobby is about fun and this kind of challenge sounds like fun to
me.  A grab bag of propagation and antenna possibilities, that ol'e Murph
can still have a ball with.

:o)

Don't worry, I climb safely and wear the safety belt.

For SS, see you in there.

J., VY1JA