[SECC] Fw: NAQP SSB KU8E Single Op HP

[Bill Coleman]

Jeff, I'm going to take one more shot at this, and then I'll just  
have to agree to disagree, which I'm OK with.

On Aug 21, 2007, at 9:02 PM, ku8e wrote:

> I have to disagree with you guys. The stations with the big antenna  
> farms have even more of an advantage when conditions are marginal,  
> like they have been
> the last couple years or so.

True enough. So, in a couple of years, when conditions are better,  
the little guys will be doing well again.

> It might be true that these stations have some lower antennas for  
> domestic contests but it makes a big difference having a bunch of  
> yagis high and clear in the air. Even running 100 watts these  
> stations can work people on backscatter on the higher bands  
> (20-15-10 meters) That is very difficult to do running an antenna  
> like a dipole or some multiband antenna like a center fed zepp at  
> maybe 30-50 feet high. Plus many of these big stations all have a  
> yagi or even stacked yagis on 40 meters and maybe some directional  
> wire array on 80 meters and a good antenna on 160.

You don't have to be a "big station" to try to put up the best  
antennas you can. NAQP is one of the reasons I have antennas for 6  
bands.

I think you're mistaken about big antennas in domestic contests.  
During sunspot lows, perhaps, but when the bands are open, the low  
antennas rule.

> Someone with a TH-6 at 60 ft and maybe a 2 el 40 above that can  
> fare better against these guys. Those of us like N4GG and myself  
> that are running wire antennas cannot.

This is the part I don't understand. If everyone is nominally running  
100 watts, then the guys with wimpy antennas at least stand a  
fighting chance. If we suddenly allow kWs instead, then the guys with  
wimp antennas will be that much worse off -- because the noise floor  
will 12 dB higher.

> If you compare my station to a W9RE, who has multiple yagis on  
> 40-10 meters plus an 80 meter beam and a good antenna it isn't even  
> close to being even. Do you call this a level playing field ?

I never claimed that a 100 watt limit leveled the playing field.  
Radiosport is anything but a level playing field. Even at WRTC, it  
isn't level. (Closer, but not perfectly level)

I just think that the 100 watt NAQP is a great contest, and allowing  
HP would ruin it. I'd feel the same way about making it 24 hours  
instead of the current 12.

> Your antennas make all the difference in the world. Even if Scott  
> ran a kW to his mobile whips he still wouldn't be as loud as me  
> running 100 watts because of his inefficient antennas.

And both of you would be roasted by W9RE.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901