Topband: Stew Beef

[Donald Chester]

> ....I love contests, especially those with QRP categories AND, as a QRP afficionado, I do wish more hams would get on the air on Top Band just for the sake of making QSOs ----> I thoroughly enjoy working any ham on 160 CW, find out what my RST is, the other fella's power and antenna - that sort of general info - AND experience more about the 
> Propagation Princess' vagaries.

> de Jim Rodenkirch K9JWV

I have never been a contest lover, but I did work the CQ 160m CW contest a couple of times, back in the LORAN days, and once won top score for my state.  Only thing, there were but three other logs submitted from my state that year, total.  I still sometimes make it a point to get on 160m CW around high noon local time during a Topband CW contest just see how far I can work and what kind of signal reports I get.

But that brings up a problem with most contesters these days, the fact that your RST is likely to be "599" regardless, even when the other op can just barely dig you out of the noise.  Same with contests on other bands, both phone and CW.  That nonsensical practice has eliminated what was erstwhile perhaps the most useful function of contesting, and IMHO, diminishes the worthiness of contests altogether.  Back when the signal report was a real part of the exchange and contesters tended to exchange honest reports, a major contest could be an opportunity to determine how well your station got out, and into what localities you put the best and worst signal strength, providing some insight to improvements you might wish make to your transmitter and antenna system. 

I would find it extremely boring to spend hours exchanging meaningless numbers in order to compile a long list of callsigns and states; I could find more productive use for my time, but to each his own.

One thing I can guarantee, however, if you do happen to work my during a contest you will receive an honest signal report.

Don k4kyv