TopBand: gi0kow moan

[wb6tza@compuall.net]

you said
>I passed the following E-mail to GI0KOW and here are his comments:
snip, edited my origional comments
>>listened early for me - 0215Z (1-06-97) - 
this means the time I started listeneing  to the band

>>after 15 mins he was strong enuff to get almost a whole exchange, 
sorry my memory is incorrect, maybe 5 or 6 minutes just seemed like 15 while
waiting for your callsign.

>>so called on peaks.. worked him 10 mins later at 0240.  
at least we agree on the time

>>calls, sure wish he would send his call at the end of an exchange,
>>rather than an X.... Yah, the call is long, but saves time in the 
>>long run.... and reduces frustration

- start comment from GI0KOW ---->

>All very interesting, now let's cut the drivel and get down to 
>some bare-bone facts.  On the day in question I made my first 
>QSO at 0238Z with K0HA after CQing from 0235Z.  Now you don't 
>need to be a brain surgeon to work out that N6LL could not have 
>been listening to my CW at 0215Z.  

I did not say I was hearing you at 0215, and I admit that 5 or 6 minutes can
seem like 15 when fighting a very weak signal

>I don't mind receiving criticism, if criticism is due, 
>but considering I wasn't even on the band at the time, unwarranted comments
>like that really piss me off. 

You sure are sensative to what was intended to be constructive criticisim.

>Instead of ridiculing other peoples' operating 
>procedures, maybe Robin should take a look at his own.  He 
>claims to have completed a QSO with me, (which he did at 0241Z 
>- third QSO that morning) but didn't get my call until 8 minutes 
>later, now that IS good operating  !! ;-)
>
On this band with short openings to the so cal area, and with a DX station
who seldom sends his call, this is an undesirably common practice. 

>Maybe I have totally misunderstood the DXing concept, but I was
>always taught to be aware of the callsign of the station you 
>were calling, before actually attempting to make a contact.

AT least I did sit on your freq until I actually copied your call for
myself, and did not depend on packet (which I do not have) or someone else
sending the call to get it copied - a VERY common (and undesirable)
practice- especially on other bands.

>Robin, next time you are going to criticise someone, make sure
>your personal opinions are backed up with facts.  Thanks for the
>advice, maybe your heart is in the right place - now my advice 
>to you is to stop moaning and just enjoy the exceptional 
>topband conditions whilst they are there.

I believe my statments are accurate except for the time spent listening to
your pervious qsos.  I intended the comments to point out the difficulty in
copying (especially in this region) make it very desirable for the dx
station to send his call more often, and not to "moan".. a complete waste of
time.  The exceptional band conditions simply mean that there are some weak
signals from EU to work from here, rather than absolutely none at all..

you replied publically, so here is my response,  now lets drop it.

73, robin



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