[RTTY] North Dakota contesting

[Brian Kassel]

HI Bill:

    I remember your many contest forays during your stay in ND.  You 
always had a great signal into AZ, coincidentally where I lived during 
that time.  You were almost always the ONLY ND that I worked in any 
event.  Certainly we appreciate your efforts.  I have never operated 
more than a few hours north of here, but do reasonably well in the 
contests with a meager contest station.  As I recall you had quite a 
good set up, and also did pretty well.  I know what you mean by the 
handicap of operating from the North as well as too far from the east 
coast to be able to make easy EU QSO's as those with much less can do 
from the east. It is indeed frustrating.  I have operated from C6A on 
several occasions and am amazed at how much better conditions are to EU, 
although the year-round thunderstorms can cause great havoc, and ruined 
at least one DXpedition there for the ARRL DX CW.  I guess that you just 
roll the dice and hope for the best.

Brian K7RE


Bill said:

"It is very interesting to read some of the (misinformed) comments
on RTTY and contesting in general from North Dakota.....

  I contested from northern North Dakota 1983-2003, including RTTY
RU, and FRUSTRATION is the word that sums it all up. Very few hams
understand what the AURORA does to a radio signal, but it will sap
the competitiveness and spirit out of any contester given time....

  The AURORA is present 50% of the time. There is NO European short
path on 40/80/160 most of the time, and when a flare hits there is
simply NO propagation anywhere. You can't imagine how many times I
would get psyched up the week before any given contest, and the
bands were dead or very poor the whole weekend. Or a flare would
hit in the middle and I would turn off the radio....

  Most people enter contests not necessarily to win but to at least
do well. When you can't do either, you schedule other non radio 
activities. Some of you "competitive" types should try a contest in
North Dakota. You won't go back.......

73, Bill WB0O/KO7AA in Tucson, AZ"