[CQ-Contest] Dollars/qso score
Julius Fazekas
phriendly1 at yahoo.com
Mon Dec 1 15:23:26 EST 2008
Thanks Paul...
I recall the article(s)... They probably should be re-run periodically as newbies come into the sport.
"Sweat" equity goes a long way as does scrounging. eBay is a good source, but don't forget hamfests, eHam (etc.) and even some of the various reflectors for antenna fixings.
I think you can make the Top 10 boxes in the LP and QRP categories of some contests with a station well under $3K (and even well under $1K). Chances are it won't be CQ WW DX tho' (unless you travel to a very exotic spot)
Staying in the chair is a big plus ;o)
Cheers,
Julius
Julius Fazekas
N2WN
Tennessee Contest Group
TnQP http://www.tnqp.org/
Elecraft K2/100 #3311
Elecraft K2/100 #4455
Elecraft K3/100 #366
--- On Mon, 12/1/08, PaulKB8N at aol.com <PaulKB8N at aol.com> wrote:
> From: PaulKB8N at aol.com <PaulKB8N at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Dollars/qso score
> To: phriendly1 at yahoo.com, ulli.grunow at ospreyribs.com, CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> Cc: ralph.bellas at gmail.com
> Date: Monday, December 1, 2008, 2:12 PM
> Ulli, Julius,
>
> We talked about this in one of the articles for Contesting
> on a Budget in
> NCJ a few years back. I think that with some careful
> budgeting and planning,
> you could do well with much less.
>
> You can find old computers and monitors almost for free,
> software is next to
> nothing. For less than $100.00 you can probably find a
> computer and software
> that will work.
>
> Used radios are not expensive, but you should find
> something with computer
> control. The Icom 735 is still an OK radio and interfaces
> easily. I've seen
> them for as little as $350 stock, or $400 with a filter.
> I'd recommend a
> pair of inexpensive radios in an SO2R arrangement over a
> single, more expensive
> radio.
>
> Wire antennas can be very competitive. Spools of wire are
> cheap on eBay, I
> buy the milspec, teflon-covered silver-plated
> copper-stranded wire for
> pennies a foot. You can do wonders with low wires and wire
> beams!
>
> You can make your own balanced feedline and wind your own
> baluns
> inexpensively. Cheap lightweight mast? Use the thinnest
> schedule PVC you can find, buy
> a can of "Great Stuff", make a telescoping mast
> about 28' long with three
> diameters of PVC, drill a small hole every foot and shoot
> the Great Stuff in,
> let it harden and you have a very rigid mast for inverted
> vees and other wire
> antennas. If you wish, you can even embed 300 ohm ladder
> line inside the
> mast before you shoot the foam inside, from what I can
> tell, Great Stuff has
> pretty decent dielectric properties.
>
> What I've described is a SO2R station for around $1000.
> You may not make
> the top ten box, but you certainly can do well. I think
> this topic might
> warrant more investigation, and Ralph, K9ZO, is the new
> columnist for Contesting
> on a Budget. I've copied him on this if he wants to
> pursue it further.
>
> Paul, K5AF
>
> In a message dated 12/1/2008 9:46:42 A.M. Central
> Standard Time,
> phriendly1 at yahoo.com writes:
>
> Ulli,
>
> I suspect it is tough to be competitive (SOAB) for under
> $3K unless you're a
> really good scrounger.
>
> SOSB may be easier, although taking first would still put
> you up against
> some very impressive rigs and antennas. 40 and up
> you'll be competing against
> rotating arrays. 80 and 160 may be more level playing
> grounds as few have the
> real estate for decent antennas.
>
> Certainly you can buy a decent used rig that would be very
> competitive for
> under $2K, maybe even under $1K. Used antennas seem cheap,
> particularly
> yagis... Wire antennas can play really well on the lower
> bands.
>
> Sometimes it's a matter of luck... skills and location
> are very important,
> but as Napoleon might say, give me a operator who is lucky
> ;o)
>
> I do find it interesting to think about the folks who put
> hundreds of
> thousands of dollars and time into technical marvels (and
> they really are) for a
> plaque that costs less than $100 and the prestige (or
> bragging rights).
> Competition is a funny thing... I'm sure there is a
> Doctorate thesis in there
> somewhere ;o)
>
> Some of the fun for me is with the folks I compete with,
> we have a bond and
> support each others efforts. Kinda like betting on the side
> at a horse race.
> Beating your own best score is nice too, but it's more
> fun sharing the build
> up and discussing it afterward.
>
> I like reading the 3830 posts from folks, not so much the
> scores, but how
> the event went. I particularly like reading the LP and QRP
> stories.
> NS3T has some good stories too, on Radiosport.
>
> 73 & GL,
> Julius
>
> Julius Fazekas
> N2WN
>
> Tennessee Contest Group
> TnQP http://www.tnqp.org/
>
> Elecraft K2/100 #3311
> Elecraft K2/100 #4455
> Elecraft K3/100 #366
>
>
> --- On Mon, 12/1/08, Ulli Grunow
> <ulli.grunow at ospreyribs.com> wrote:
>
> > From: Ulli Grunow <ulli.grunow at ospreyribs.com>
> > Subject: [CQ-Contest] Dollars/qso score
> > To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> > Date: Monday, December 1, 2008, 7:44 AM
> > Dear contesters,
> >
> > Contest organizers.
> >
> > This is just something I was thinking about when
> looking
> > through the scores
> > of last CQWW CW 2008..
> >
> >
> >
> > I am ON5KQ, (op Ulli) operating a very limited
> contest
> > station here in
> > Belgium..
> >
> > Have just published my claimed scores (SOSB 40m) at
> 3830
> > reflector.
> >
> >
> >
> > Seeing all the great score of great people it came to
> my
> > mind, that there
> > might be one factor for great contest results we
> never talk
> > about.
> >
> > I just want to name it here once: the factor of money
> spent
> > to achieve the
> > result.
> >
> >
> >
> > I am not at all saying, that it is the most important
> > factor - but I have
> > never seen a below $3000 total cost station winning a
> > contest !
> >
> > You may say it is trivial - with more input there is
> more
> > output - yes,
> > partly this is true and that's a way you can see
> it.
> >
> >
> >
> > >From a sports standpoint of view, I personally
> feel as
> > if I try to become
> > successful with an old Volkswagen in a Formule 1
> race.
> > should I buy a new
> > expensive car te get in pool position next time ?!
> >
> > I certainly enjoy the many impressive websites of the
> major
> > contest winner's
> > - great to see ! Great technology and thank you for
> > documenting and share
> > your experience with dream equipment for almost
> everyone
> > else.
> >
> > Sometimes there are Single OP's operating a super
> > station build in many many
> > years from Multi/Multi teams. Is that real Single
> Operator
> > contesting ?!?
> >
> > Also the Multi/Multi teams spend many thousands of
> dollars
> > into the
> > hobby..their neighbor ham's might be never be able
> to
> > do anything close to
> > that, simply due to their very limited of even tight
> > budget.
> >
> >
> >
> > So in what aspect we talk about winning the contest ?
> > Biggest station,
> > richest people ? Biggest equipment ?!?
> >
> >
> >
> > I am happy to find the Triband/wires only category in
> some
> > contests.
> >
> > How about a total below $3000 dollar category ?!
> >
> > Single band entries half.
> >
> >
> >
> > My station is below $1500 incl. TRX !
> >
> > I am proud of my efficiency ..
> >
> > Want to hear/read about small stations with good
> results -
> > stand up guy's !
> >
> >
> >
> > Ulli, ON5KQ
> >
> > www.on5kq.be
> >
> >
> >
> > P.S.: I am not against spending lots of money into
> our
> > great hobby - just
> > wanted to tell a different story.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > CQ-Contest mailing list
> > CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> >
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