[CQ-Contest] Monitor Your Steam Out - save some for the Contest !

[BRYON PAUL n0ah VEAL]

We only run a 100 watts out so as not to blast into the neighbor's TV, phones, speakers, electronic dog collars, fish tank heater, toasters, etc.....- so I am not a QRO op.  But as a small station during CQWW, I have to agree with those who've stated that the best stations have learned to minimize the least bandwidth with on air signals-  It is just good operating- amp or no amp. 
But because of a very small number of operators who run their modulation wide while using one- a real combination for a garbage signal and neighbor issues with your fellow hams on the air, I have come to really dislike SSB contests allowing HP
As for an amp only adding a couple DB's,..what? ...I think this is an insult to many of us-  I have a neighbor 20 miles from here with a clean set up-   With 100 watts, I typically receive his signal at S-7 on 20M.  He goes to 1,500 watts, he is 30-40 db- I typically see  double signal strength in a lot of hams using 100 watts going to 1,500-  If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and acts like a duck, its a duck.  If an amp only added 1-2 db, why in anyone's right sense would you pay $3,000-6,000?   
Have excellent feed lines, have the best antennas you can find, and use contesting skills.  I'd put the amp around 10th on the list....if you can't hear them, why bother with the rest?  If you have to run amp, I am not minimizing their benefit for a moment.  But I am not going to agree with they only add a slight margin to signal when my S meter rocks out.............or the disruption they cause in crowded conditions in the hands of unskilled ops-   hihi
73

Bryon "Paul" Veal  MAED
FCC Amateur Radio License-N0AH
n0ah at arrl.net
Certified ARRL Volunteer Wireless Technology Instructor

Acres Green Elementary School Amateur Radio Club Trustee - KD0NIV




> Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:15:27 +0400
> From: sm6lrr at gmail.com
> To: jpklemola at gmail.com
> CC: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Monitor Your Steam Out - save some for the Contest	!
> 
> Hello Jukka!
> 
> Thanks for the clarification. I hope the ongoing discussions will end up in
> something even better for CQWW 2012. We all live in a world with different
> regulations and different approach how to interpret them, but the important
> is that we contesters seem to overlook the differences in national
> regulation and focus on how the contest organizer wish to put things. Even
> if the US is allowed to use 1500 Watts and we "Russians" are only allowed to
> use 1000 Watts... this does not in reality make all that much difference.
> The important is that we understand that total 1500 Watts into the antenna
> feeder (at the output of the amplifier) is total power. If we split 1500
> Watts into three antennes for some reason - an average of 500 Watts goes
> into each antenna.
> 
> Never mind, I agree with you fully about the steam... Although discussions
> are important, we should make sure to have enough steam for the contest
> operation as well. CQWW 2011 will hopefully be a great one with super conds
> on high bands if I may wish.
> 
> Personally, I will leave for Magadan (UA0I) on Sunday this week and return
> Friday afternoon before the contest, so given the "Russian Extreme" profile
> of this trip... I am not sure whether I will have all that much energy for
> the contest, but wish anyone else participating a great experience!
> 
> 73 de RA/SM6LRR, Mats
> 
> 
> 
> ('Yo Mats !' for the English reading audience)
> 
> Returned from traveling.
> 
> Reasonable, responsible or how one would put it.
> 
> It is to play by the country's own rules.
> I do not know any country allowing more than 1500W.
> 
> About Russia, maybe the limit is below 1500W.
> Maybe also in Sweden and many other countries.
> 
> What comes to CQ WW CC, there is an internal email thread on the subject.
> Maybe it will output a change to 2012 rules.
> Maybe not.
> 
> 
> One of the enigmas is where to measure the output power?
> As a wannabe humorous Finn, my expression is something like the output
> is measured at the output.
> 
> >
> >
> > 73,
> > Jukka OH6LI
> >
> >
> >
> > 2011/10/14 Mats Strandberg <sm6lrr at gmail.com>:
> >  > Jukka.
> > >
> > > Can you as a member of the CQWW CC specify what you exactly mean with the
> > > expression "amplifier at reasonable level"? Is that 1.5 kW for US
> > stations,
> > > 1 kW for OH and UA stations or something else?
> > >
> > > RA/SM6LRR, Mats
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > 2011/10/14 Jukka Klemola <jpklemola at gmail.com>
> > >>
> > >> Hello Everybody !
> > >>
> > >> It is most refreshing to see sentiments building up right before the CQ
> > WW
> > >> SSB.
> > >> I hope a great majority will have an adequate level of Steam left for
> > >> the Contest itself !
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Keep your act, head and amplifier at responsible levels.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> 73,
> > >> Jukka OH6LI
> > >> _______________________________________________
> > >> CQ-Contest mailing list
> > >> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> > >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
> > >
> > >
> >
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