[RTTY] Not to beat the ANTENNA OVERKILL horse...

[Tom Moore]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barry" <w2up at mindspring.com>
To: "Dick Stein" <k2zr at arrl.net>
Cc: <rtty at contesting.com>; "Jerry Flanders" <jeflanders at comcast.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: [RTTY] Not to beat the ANTENNA OVERKILL horse...


>
> For all you SO1R whiners, it's not the second radio or the big antennas
> that makes you lose, it's the operator.  If K3MM, KI5XP or AA5AU (please
> don't be insulted if you're a big gun and I left you out, hi) ran 1
> radio with tribander, or perhaps even dipoles, he would still beat you.
>
> And last, grow up.  You should know by now life isn't always fair.
>
> 73,
> Barry W2UP

I have yet to see comments from anyone here proposing separate classes that 
seemed to be whining. To the contrary, its those who oppose the issue that 
seem to be doing the name calling, and personally putting-down
of the others.

All Barry really said is that the top SO2R ops could still beat everyone 
else doing SO1R. SO WHAT. They're the best. Sure they would.  No one has 
ever suggested that they could or should be able to beat them. But Barry's 
comments were clearly received here with intent to be demeaning and 
insulting. He's clearly missing the point.

Because many of us SO1R ops can't afford to own 'competitive' SO2R stations, 
he seems to automatically classify us as 2nd rate whining ops simply because 
we've stated our desire to compete amongst ourselves. Again, I think he's 
clearly missing the point.

Why shouldn't the best of SO1R ops be recognized for their accomplishment? 
KI5XP and AA5AU have often said there's no way they could obtain the scores 
they do using just one radio.

I'm very fortunate that I have two plaques on my wall. One says that I was 
in the CQ/RJWW RTTY WPX contest and that I was the 2003 USA Winner Single 
Operator All Band Low Power. The other says that I was in the CQWW RTTY 
contest and that I was 2003 NA Winner Single Operator, All band Low Power. I 
did this operating SO1R.

But it was pure luck because all the SO2R ops went High Power in both of 
those contest Categories. So, in these two contests, I was rewarded for my 
SO1R efforts. And that's the point we're trying to make. SO1R ops should be 
recognized for the best of their lot.

We're not, as Barry suggests, "whining", because we can't compete with or 
beat SO2R ops. That's never been said or suggested. We're "whining" because 
we're being bad mouthed for simply stating our desire to compete amongst 
each other; those who represent the majority of all ops who participate in 
contests. SO2R would clearly still be big winners and recognized as the 
absolute best.

I've yet seen a reasonable reason why there should not be two distinct 
classes. All I've seen is rhetoric, name calling, condemnation and diversion 
from some of the top operators in our sport. Sure makes one wonder, huh?

I just can't figure out why these people seem to feel so threatened or 
insulted; or what they seem to think they have to lose. This just should not 
be a big deal.

Tom WX4TM