EAD
Sorry to be so late but it takes a while for me to get my mail..
Instead of bellyache'n over the WRTC teams perhaps it would be a tad bit of
fun if you geared up YOUR station to WRTC specs and got on and give the
golden boys are run for their damn money....Or have you already decided that
you can't compete??? Have they beaten you so soon? This is precicely the
challenge the real contesters thrive for. There are a ton of good operators
just in the big three, FRC<PVRC<YCCC who will take the challenge I'll bet.
I'm sure you have a couple of guys in your club whom you think may be good
enough to look'em in the eyes at the hospitality suite at Dayton...why not
encourage them to get a station together for IARU?? Make plans to do IARU as
a "operator shake down"...see where you need to improve your skills to
compete on a world class level instead of moaning about being
overlooked...Find the golden boys and kick sum butt...maybe next year is your
year! See you in IARU.
73
de D. E.
>From wb2r@ix.netcom.com (Barry K. Cummings ) Thu Mar 21 20:51:13 1996
From: wb2r@ix.netcom.com (Barry K. Cummings ) (Barry K. Cummings )
Subject: DXpedition scores and us rich folk!
Message-ID: <199603212051.MAA00394@ix15.ix.netcom.com>
You wrote:
>
>
>>The cost of doing a DXpedition has little to do with the merit of
the=20
>>DXpedition points counting for a club.=20
>AGREED!
>
>>It sounds like all local clubs do not have ANYONE REALLY dedicated to
=
>contesting. >Or, the people who belong to local clubs are all poor! I
=
>don't think so!
>Think back, weren't you ever a beginner! The local club catagory is a
=
>breeding ground for the "dedicated" contestor. These small general =
>purpose clubs are the ones that feed the major contest clubs. Maybe in
a =
>few years we'll all be wondering why we can't get any new members in
the =
>contesting fraternity. Putting this rule in effect for the local clubs
=
>is just another obstacle for beginners to over come.
>73 de Tom N2GQS
>Tom@utd.com
>
I guess this is a follow on to my prior comments about local clubs (in
which I offered the notion that, around here anyway, those members who
are contesters also belong to a contest club, like FRC, to which their
scores are contributed).
Around here, the "breeding ground" is, primarily, Field Day. In the
local club, all five FRC members (out of about 40) are at every Field
Day, and at least two of the stations are the same equipment (sans
amps) that their owners contest with year round -- interfaced CT, ICE
filters, automatically selected antennas -- the whole nine yards.
What happens nearly every year? Several "new" people (new to ham radio
or new to the area, but without contest experience) get exposure to
what a contest station consists of and how a contester operates it. The
contesters have fun operating, and those who are new to the whole thing
get hooked! And, you can bet your boots that any one person who shows
the slightest glimmer of interest is invited "sit down and try it!" (In
this club, the Field Day score is the LEAST important aspect of the
event.) Any one of the FRCers will gladly sacrifice a good run or a
decent rate for the chance to "elmer" a new person.
The bottom line is that the local clubs, primarily via Field Day,
constitute the "farm system" for FRC.
It works.
(It worked on me: Ten years ago, I'd been licensed six months by my
first Field Day. I sat and watched K2TD operate (CW) for about eight
hours. Then I sat down at the novice station and spent eight hours
"hunting and pecking." By dawn I was hooked!)
...................................................73, Barry
--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Barry K Cummings WB2R eMail WB2R@ix.netcom.com +
+ Delran, NJ Packet WB2R@WB2R (FRC PacketCluster) +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>From k5na@bga.com (Richard L. King) Thu Mar 21 21:28:57 1996
From: k5na@bga.com (Richard L. King) (Richard L. King)
Subject: ARRL DX and DX-expeditions
Message-ID: <199603212128.PAA11820@zoom.bga.com>
>What's the point? The point is that this whole issue is a non-issue, as
>far as the little clubs go.
>.................................................73, Barry
Incredible!!! If I bite my tongue any harder I will draw blood.
This is my last update. Most of you guys that ONLY contest with the large
clubs don't have a clue as to the potential a little, everyday amateur radio
club has towards introducing new blood to the joys of contesting. We NEED
that new contesting blood to keep our part of the hobby alive.
The CAC needs to get input from small clubs on matters that effect small
clubs. This is an example of why it is bad for them to have tunnel-vision
and only solicit input from the big clubs. Try to look at this issue from an
unselfish viewpoint.
Excuse me, I have something else to do now. I have to work on staying calm.
73, Richard
K5NA@BGA.COM
>From Tom Lindtveit <Tom@utd.com> Thu Mar 21 22:13:43 1996
From: Tom Lindtveit <Tom@utd.com> (Tom Lindtveit)
Subject: ARRL DX and DX-expeditions
Message-ID: <01BB1749.EC8967A0@ulster-port8.mhv.net>
>What's the point? The point is that this whole issue is a non-issue, as =
>ar as the little clubs go.
Hii Barry. I understand what you are saying. Your experience and =
situation are probably typical of many dedicated contestors. As I =
understand it, the FRC encompasses a major metrpolitan section. Please =
try to understand that not all small clubs have a mega-club in their =
area to send their contestors and logs to. In our neck of the woods, =
we're it! We have about 25 members. Not all of these are HF contestors. =
Only about 6 have compettive stations at the present time. We are not a =
general type club. We are a contest club. I am not about to join a =
mega-club just so they can have my log. The people in our club are my =
friends, and I enjoy contesting because it provides a chance to be on =
team with good people. And we do have fun.
I think its clear that no one really cares about this issue, because =
nobody really understands the situation that a club such as ours has =
been put in.=20
We will continue to do our best at our own level. I'm sure we will be =
disappointed when we get clobbered by a little club that creams us with =
one DXpedition log and two 30k logs to make the minimum number of =
entries. But hey, I should have learned by now that contesting is for =
winners. It you can't win, you should quit, right? I assume thats the =
message I should read here. Contesting is only fun if you win. Why =
didn't I see that before?
I'll shut up now.
de Tom N2GQS
Tom@utd.com
>From n3rr@cais.cais.com (Bill Hider) Fri Mar 22 00:04:00 1996
From: n3rr@cais.cais.com (Bill Hider) (Bill Hider)
Subject: Tower paint etc.
Message-ID: <199603220004.TAA03530@cais.cais.com>
J.P:
Before you commit to painting your GALVANIZED tower, I'd suggest you obtain
and read a copy of: "Painting Galvanized Structural Steel" published by
the American Hot Dip Galvanizers Association, Inc., P.O. Box 80, Clarendon
Hills, Il 60514, 312-352-6884 (voice), 312-352-9335 (fax); Executive
Offices, Suite 700, 1101 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20003-4303.
We had a situation on a commercial tower that the vendor/painter didn't
adhere to the humidity requirements of painting our galvanized tower and
after 5 years it was rusting very badly and had to be sandblasted and
repainted and great $ expense.
A word to the wise!
By the way, the executive director will be glad to talk to you for hours
about galvanizing, etc if you're interested in listening.
Good Luck!
Bill, N3RR
Disclaimer: I have no commercial interest in the A.H.D.G.Assn, or
galvanizing, painting etc, at all. I am merely passing along my experiences.
Bill
>From William O. Hider" <n3rr@cais.cais.com Fri Mar 22 00:01:48 1996
From: William O. Hider" <n3rr@cais.cais.com (William O. Hider)
Subject: No subject
Message-ID: <199603220001.TAA03229@cais.cais.com>
>From Gary Nieborsky <k7fr@ncw.net> Fri Mar 22 00:30:07 1996
From: Gary Nieborsky <k7fr@ncw.net> (Gary Nieborsky)
Subject: variable exchanges
Message-ID: <199603220030.QAA03582@bing.ncw.net>
I had an opportunity to compare my log to someone elses for ARRL CW DX and
came across a strange item. On a number of same station, same band,
different time QSO's in the two logs I found that the power part of the
exchange was not always the same. This lead me to dig deeper and check for
back-to-back (or reasonably close) QSO's. In three of them I found that the
exchange was different. This sent me to the tapes. The tapes showed that
indeed the dx station had sent something different each time. The other
station is close enough to have a readable backscatter signal so I was able
to hear his exchange. One of the Q's was 100 vs. 200....understandable in
the heat of battle. However, 2 were KW vs. 100/500 ..... not so understandable.
My question is this: Is this common? I know on different bands you can get
different power reports (if you accept the auto-fill feature it can really
mess you up) and later in the test you might find someone that cooked the
amp and is giving out a true power.
Please respond directly if you have any insight on this.
Thanks and 73
Gary K7FR
>From Cleve D Leclair <dleclair@efn.org> Fri Mar 22 00:57:11 1996
From: Cleve D Leclair <dleclair@efn.org> (Cleve D Leclair)
Subject: Free e-mail
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960321165451.328A@garcia.efn.org>
Hmmmmmmmm I talked to the AT&T people on the phone and I understood
it to be a flat rate e-mail or internet .. the point is ..
It's gunna cost no matter what...AT&T is out to make money..
And internet and e-mail are both big money....
Cleve - N7IXG
>From Matthew S. Trott" <0007288678@mcimail.com Fri Mar 22 01:56:00 1996
From: Matthew S. Trott" <0007288678@mcimail.com (Matthew S. Trott)
Subject: KT34XA wind balance summary
Message-ID: <12960322015621/0007288678PJ3EM@MCIMAIL.COM>
Here's what I found out from ye multitude:
----------------------------------
Subject: KT34XA (Wind Balance)
Yo, What's the tried and true recipe for wind balancing a KT34XA? Or is
it already pretty well balanced? Does anyone have the torque element
dimensions and boom placement for this antenna? Or is boom extension
the answer?
This info may already be on FOX www site but alas, I don't have web
access at present. I appreciate any info.
73--Matt--AA7BG
aa7bg@mcimail.com
---------------------------------
Matt-
I have a KT-34XA and I can tell you it is NOT wind balanced! The main
area item is the boom (see articles in the DX Magazine to support this)
and the boom is several feet longer in the director direction because
when assembled as directed in the directions, the mast clamp goes
at the weight balance.
AA2U has wind balanced his by adding PVC pipe to the short end. I don't
know the details - if you get it from him, please post!
-Tony, K1KP, fisher@hp-and2.an.hp.com
----------------------------------
Hi Matthew,
If the answer is not posted to you over the reflector. Ie an 'open'
answer Could you please post a summary.
I understand that it it is NOT wind balanced .
cheers
Robert Thain G0HGW thain@rammail.ram.co.uk
-------------------------------
>Yo, What's the tried and true recipe for wind balancing a KT34XA?
Wish I had known it back when I owned one. Don't anymore, so I don't
know. But it *is* a nice beam. Good performer.
>Or is it
>already pretty well balanced?
No -- very bad wind torque. It's a brake eater. Do something about it
-- you will be glad you did.
73, Dave NG0X
-----------------------------------------
Balance......guess I never worried about it. Mine rides really nice up
there.
Gary K7FR
------------------------------------------
Hi Matt...
To truly wind balance this fine antenna you must hang the genoa jib
from the America's Cup Yacht "Bafoofnik" from the driven element on the
ground side. This makes up for the slanted RF field produced when the
antenna leans into the wind of a DX reach..
C. Dean Norris
Amateur Radio Station K7NO
e-mail to dnorris@k7no.com
(ed: Oh, and I can get the jib from HOME DEPOT? I'll try it!--AA7BG)
----------------------------------------------
Matt, AA7BG
I have a KT34XA up about 65'; has only come down once in a
windstorm in March 1988 (when the upper tower buckled- it looked
like a helicopter had crashed with the KT34XA, 40M-3, and 13 el 2M
beam, ...). It appears to be well balanced "as is".
73, Craig, WA6OXK
To: 0007288678@mcimail.com
----------------------------------------------
There you have it. Out of 5 responses 3 said it is poorly balanced
and 2 said it doesn't seem to be a problem. I have 7/8ths of a
KT34XA (blew off a guy's tower) and I am just wondering if I should
spend the time and $$ to get it going or instead put up the 205BAS
that I have wind balance info on. We enjoy 65 mph breezes frequently
here and I just don't want to shread rotors on a weekly basis. (402cd
will be 10 feet above either the XA or 205.
73, Matt--AA7BG
aa7bg@mcimail.com
>From Bruce Lallathin <aa8u@voyager.net> Fri Mar 22 02:21:44 1996
From: Bruce Lallathin <aa8u@voyager.net> (Bruce Lallathin)
Subject: Rotator Repairs
Message-ID: <199603220221.VAA16173@vixa.voyager.net>
At 11:48 AM 3/21/96 -0600, you wrote:
>Well yesterday was the first day of Spring here in Tennessee (supposedly) and
>along with the ice/snow/rain/wind that whipped thru the area for the past 2
>days, I couldn't help but notice a strange sound as I watched one of my beams
>windmill around (chink, chink, chink). Brake failure by catastrophic
>destruction? In any case, I've done all of my own rotor repairs but am
>considering letting a professional do it this time. I know CATS, and Norm's
>and Hygain/Telex do repairs. What advantages does one have over the other?
>Curious about your experiences. I'm getting to redo some of my CONTEST
>antennas so this is a good time. BTW, the rotor is an older HAM-M type (but I
>really can't see much difference between it and my HAM IV).
>
>What say, O Great Ones!!!!???
>
> 73, Mark K0EJ
>
>
>
Hi Mark,
First decent day you get, take the Ham-M down and take it to Dayton and sell
it as-is.
Then, replace it with a heavy duty Create RC-5B or similar. I suggest the
one with the presets. I have four of these that are heavily loaded and have
had excellent service from them for, gee, must be about six years now. Time
flies when you're having fun! Seriously, I had Ham-M and Tailtwisters. The
Create rotors are well worth the expense. Come see mine in action...
73,
Bruce (AA8Ugly)
aa8u@voyager.net
>From Bill Fisher, KM9P" <km9p@akorn.net Fri Mar 22 02:54:51 1996
From: Bill Fisher, KM9P" <km9p@akorn.net (Bill Fisher, KM9P)
Subject: You make this list? READ!
Message-ID: <199603220254.VAA15752@paris.akorn.net>
Wanted!
Rate sheets from record holders in each call area for the following:
ARRL DX
CQWW
Sweepstakes
WPX
Each and every entry class is of interest. Please send in email to me at
km9p@contesting.com.
Come on guys... Even the internet-challenged K1AR has sent me rate sheets
from all of the K1AR/K1EA record holding efforts. To view the ones we have
so far, go to http://www.contesting.com/ and follow the menus.
73
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