Call: K2UVG
Entry: SO - one radio, no packet, low power, both modes(SSB/CW)
QTH: Niceville <g>, Florida
QSOs Countries States
CW 47 7 19
SSB 158 10 24
ALL 205 17 43
Score: 30,240 Time: 4.9 hours
Rig: TS450SAT, 100 watts
Ant: PRO57B at 53 ft
Friday night (local), I worked FL, AL and MS all on ground wave. Slept
thru alarm on Sat morning and then began working the various areas of the
world/US as they would open and close....about 30min per session.
I could not get really interested in this contest...rates were just to low.
Tried to run many times but was only successful for about one hour about
1630-1730 CDT when it seemed I Worked All Michigan! 10min rate at 150+ for
a long time. The usual N/S path to LU and surrounds was always there and a
nice opening to the west coast Sun PM also appreciated. It was frustrating
listening to the rest of FL on scatter working stations that I could not
hear at all! I propose a separate state of Baja Alabama for contests!
That's BA for short.
The mod kit to change from a 57 to 67 is in the garage. I delayed droping
the tower for this contest. Now if ETO would only start delivering the
91 Betas....I'll be happy. Maybe for the ARRL test, probably not the RTTY
RoundUp...for sure by April 15th! Any scuttlebut on that?
CU in the piles!
73, Hank
K2UVG
Internet: JKAHRS@delphi.com
>From Joel Magid <76450.2313@compuserve.com> Tue Dec 13 01:13:56 1994
From: Joel Magid <76450.2313@compuserve.com> (Joel Magid)
Subject: (T)otally (A)utomated (C)omputer (O)peration
Message-ID: <941213011355_76450.2313_CHL74-1@CompuServe.COM>
Say HI to TACO ...... if you worked WU1F during CQ WW CW
or the CW portion of the ARRL 10 Meter Contest you worked
TACO. I managed 100 q's in each test using all computer controlled
software to both send / receive and to find various stations.
While I am not a contester it was fun to scan the band and have
TACO tell me who was there ....... S5-9 signals were about the
best bet. Managed most of the Carribean and US stations with not
much problem No Packet radio was used at all ...... TACO managed
to search by command and find by command the stations I looked
for or wanted to work ...... I also stored patterns that TACO ID
as a particuliar ..... many had the same pattern ..... alot of
key-board
cw ......
If you managed to work TACO please let me know as I would like
to get a better idea of just what the contest community would like
to see ...... best 73's WU1F / TACO
Joel
>From barry@w2up.wells.com (Barry Kutner) Tue Dec 13 01:39:51 1994
From: barry@w2up.wells.com (Barry Kutner) (Barry Kutner)
Subject: Health Warning
Message-ID: <5519wc1w165w@w2up.wells.com>
Randy - I frequently get up from the chair to stretch my legs (still with
headphones on), do a few deep knee bends, etc.
In theory, taking an aspirin once a day, will reduce the risk of the
blood clots, so if you're real concerned, consider it (but not if you're
prone to ulcers).
--
Barry N. Kutner, W2UP Usenet/Internet: barry@w2up.wells.com
Newtown, PA Packet Radio: W2UP @ WB3JOE.#EPA.PA.USA.NA
Packet Cluster: W2UP >K2TW (FRC)
.......................................................................
>From mtrowbri@pen.k12.va.us (Michael Trowbridge) Tue Dec 13 02:03:56 1994
From: mtrowbri@pen.k12.va.us (Michael Trowbridge) (Michael Trowbridge)
Subject: KA4RRU 10M QRP SCORE
Message-ID: <9412130203.AA161582@pen1.pen.k12.va.us>
KA4RRU 10 M TEST QRP MIXED
CW 80 31
SSB 115 37
195 68 = 37,400
ABOUT 10 HOURS OF OP TIME HAD A GREAT RUN INTO NH ME AND MA
CU IN THE NEXT ONE DE MIKE IN VIRGINIA
>From David & Barbara Leeson <0005543629@mcimail.com> Mon Dec 12 17:37:00 1994
From: David & Barbara Leeson <0005543629@mcimail.com> (David & Barbara Leeson)
Subject: Orion, HDR-300
Message-ID: <34941212173743/0005543629NA3EM@MCIMAIL.COM>
I have some of both, and, while not perfect, they seem to work up here, but...
Orion: I have two of the older 2300 model, one has been up for a couple of
years rotating antenna with 40-50' boom with no problem...my own preference
would be a 1K rather than 5K pot, but the triangular design cleverly fits
small towers if required. The internal tolerances are a bit tight, and I
had to put a washer under the pot so it's shaft wasn't scraped by the pin on
the main gear, and the spring-copper fin that runs the limit switches made
an odd sound scraping against the main gear until I bent it a bit. But the
rotator has worked ok, and it looked good inside when I had it down while
adding tower sections. Upgrading from 2300 to 2800 seems possible, but it
didn't look like it was worth the time and bux.
For the very biggest antennas, like full-size 40's, the rubber donut gizmo
needs some more design work...I've suggested using studs locked to the plate
with nuts rather than spacers and bolts.
HDR-300: This is a very strong rotator in terms of rotating force, but it
has four weak spots. As Bill, KM9P, points out, the shaft can rust to the
plate, trapping the rotator around the mounting plate. The rotator can
rotate past the limit switch stops in a high wind, trapping the rotator in
a mode where it can't be reversed back into the working region. The shaft
is keyed to the main gear with a hardened key that eats up the keyway in the
shaft and the gear. And the brake gives up if it is over-torqued, reducing
the braking torque to a somewhat lower level after the first big blow.
That said, I've had very good personal experience with 4 HDR-300's here.
Hy-Gain has a new hardened stainless main shaft they sell for less than $30
as a replacement, which should fix the rusting problem and the keyway
problem (Orion went to a square broached hole in the gear over a square
shaft end to solve this problem). I assemble the mast plate with anti-sieze
goop, but I haven't had the rusting problem because the constant buffeting
seems to keep the shaft loose in the mast adapter anyway.
I solved the limit-switch overrun problem by using a relay that puts on the
brake when the limit switch opens, so the rotator can't free-wheel on past
the switch. The brake problem isn't big enough to worry about, since it can
be replaced easily without taking the rotator out of the tower, and the
brakes seem to last a few years anyway.
I use rubber donuts on the HDR-300's also. I think both rotators are way too
expensive compared to other motor products like washing machines, etc., but
they seem to be the best I can find. For light-wind situations (HC8A, for
example) I'm amazed at how useful the HAM-IV and T2X are, but I can't use
them here. I put a separate transformer and relays at the base of each
tower, so the voltage is right at the rotator, so I can't comment on the
control boxes.
Chaz, there is a circuit I cooked up years ago that will allow the use of
the digital HDR-300 box with north center, and I'll find it and send it to
you somehow.
Hope this helps. Keep an eye out for prop-pitch motors!
Dave, W6QHS
>From n2ic@drmail.dr.att.com (LondonSM) Mon Dec 12 21:32:21 1994
From: n2ic@drmail.dr.att.com (LondonSM) (LondonSM)
Subject: S/O Packet Spots
Message-ID: <9412121432.ZM856@dr.att.com>
AA6MC writes:
4) My buddies can tell if I'm connected by SH/STA or SH/C. And some of the
guys REMEMBER who was connected a year later when the scores come out.
There are ways to "snoop" packet cluster links without being connected, but see
the next point.
-----------
Careful, careful. In the single-op unassisted mode, CT allows you to send
spots, but not receive spots. This is clearly not breaking any rules. You
still show as "connected" with SH/C .
Steve London, N2IC/0
n2ic@dr.att.com
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