[CQ-Contest] Old SS Battles

[David A. Pruett]

At 07:36 AM 11/19/03 -0800, Leigh S. Jones wrote:
>What I found, before I won the phone SS about 3 decades at W6HX where
>I opped SSB SS was that the most effective method was to transmit MY
>exchange screaming at full speed like a bat out of hell.  If you give
>the other guy the benefit of doubt and assume that he's not totally lame, 
>then he's less likely to come back to you with lengthy and unnecessary 
>statements like "thanks for slowing down for me but it's really not 
>necessary" thus wasting more of your time...

As a beginning contester back in the early 70s when Leigh was in his prime 
at W6HX (along with Chip, K7JA at W7RM and George, W0UA at WA0CVS) I can 
indeed confirm from personal reception that he gave his exchange screaming 
at full speed like a bat out of hell.  George was probably a close second, 
but as I recall Chip seemed a lot calmer :-)

The battles between W7RM/K7JA, WA0CVS/W0UA and W6HX/KR6X were legendary.  I 
was a teenager and beginning contester back then and did not know any of 
these guys personally.  Nonetheless, from the on air antics and the QST 
write ups it was a lot of fun to follow.  I can remember a QST SS writeup 
(I think it was the 1972 contest) where there were a ton of W7RM antenna 
pictures plus one with Chip at the mic.  Memo to ARRL HQ: *THESE* are the 
things which spur the young contester's imagination!

I wish we'd see some battles like this again.  Admittedly, it takes the 
right combination of motivated ops combined with big stations, with a dose 
of die-hard competition tempered with sportsmanship and comraderie.

With a nod to Peter, Paul, and Mary - "Where have all the competitor's gone?"

Geez...I sound old.

73,

Dave/K8CC