On 7 Dec 97, Joe Humet, apparently agitated, wrote:
> Just because the rules says only one signal on the air at a time that
> dosn't mean 2 stations running.. Thats not what the rules mean.
If the rules say only one signal on the air at the same time,
doesn't that mean only one signal on the air at the same time? If
not, then what _do_ the rules mean?
> Sure they are within the rules but thats not the intent of the
> rules.
Within the rules is within the rules.
> I for one am very tired of seeing guys with 2000 and 2400 q's and more
> in the multi/single class, to say nothing about the ones in the single
> class.. I know how we broke our ass this year to make 1534 q's in ss
> running multi/single with ONE radio, Not 2. We had some very good
> operators here too. 2 of them world class.
My ass is generally broken at the end of any contest for which I put
in a full effort. Sometimes I end up near the top, but usually not
very close. OTOH, there have been several times where things went
our way, the luck was just right, and we were number one....you know
the old saying: Sometimes even a blind pig can find an akorn.
I remember busting our collective ass the last time I operated M/S
from N4RJ a few years back. We had some of the best ops there are:
N4RJ, KM9P(now W4AN), K4PI, and N4PN...I was wondering why I was
there with these guys! It was just the five of us, and we thought we
had pretty well kicked butt in the contest, only to find after the
smoke had cleared that we were a distant third (if memory serves).
You need to consider location. Notice that most of the SS top ten
are from the South up through Colorado and, recently, the Dakotas.
It all has to do with skip zones and population centers. Just like
(in the US) the northeast generally has the advantage in DX contests
- they have better propagation to more people. Judging from your
callsign, you're either in NY or NJ, not the best location for SS.
> I may not have the greatest equipment or antenna system in the world,
> but it isn't junk ether. But 100q's phr avg for 24 hrs? Give me a
> break!!
Now, let's see. You had some "very good" operators with 2 who are
"world class", implying that you didn't have only "the best"
operators. Your equipment isn't the greatest, nor is your antenna
system. Hmmm. Less than the best operators and less than the best
station from less than the optimum location for the contest in
question. How could you have possibly won if you were competing
against the best operators using the best equipment from the best
location?
> Come on CAC get off your Dead asses and do something... Thats what your
> there for. Its your job. I can't believe that ARRL isn't looking these
> scores and think "Whats up"...
Personally, I don't see there being any problems with SS as-is. If
you do, I suggest you make your opinions known to the CAC. You can
even email them at cac@arrl.org.
> Its shouldn't the guy with the most money wins. Just cause someone can
> buy a mt top some place and put up 3,4 or 5 towers with 5/5/5/5 on all
> bands is nice but it isn't right for them to be in the same class with
> the rest of us. I guess this isn't a hobby anymore, its the guy with the
> most bucks wins....
For SS, take two stations in the same general area, one with say, a
TS-830, SB-220, Tribander at 50' and wires for the low bands; the
second station has stacked monobanders for 40 through 10, big 80m
antenna, FT1000 and Alpha 87A - neither station is "bad", but one is
decidedly better (and probably much more expensive!) than the other.
Take two operators, say N5TJ and AA4GA, again, neither "bad", but a
definite difference between them! Place TJ at the big station and
GA at the little station and TJ wins - no doubt. Put GA in the big
station and TJ at the little one and guess what? TJ still wins!
(hopefully by a smaller margin though!)
You give me a $10,000 custom guitar and Chet Atkins a $200 discount
store special, and who do you think will make better music?
There have always been people who are more enthusiastic about
contesting than others. These people generally do what they need to
do to improve. As far as their stations go, these people are the
ones who put up the most effective stations. Some can do it with a
checkbook, but most can't. Many people out there have put up some
of the most effective stations there are by scrounging parts, going
to junkyards, being in the right place at the right time, not to
mention lots of sweat equity. There is also a lot of knowledge
required that money can't buy. Even the guys who can afford to buy
everything they need have been at this a while, paying dues. One of
the advantages of multi-op is the ability for several people to pool
their resources and talents.
The bottom line is money can't make you a winning contester, only
talent can.
Don't forget...contesting can be fun without winning. I should know!
73 de Lee
--
Lee Hiers - AA4GA
Contest Preservation Society - NT4DX
Cornelia, GA
mailto:aa4ga@contesting.com
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