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Re: Topband: Brave New World

To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: Brave New World
From: W0MU Mike Fatchett <w0mu@w0mu.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2015 11:56:03 -0700
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Yes!

Mike W0MU

On 2/26/2015 10:49 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
On Thu,2/26/2015 7:29 AM, kolson@rcn.com wrote:
Sometimes it's more in how things are presented. The thing that struck me was how the ARRL looked at it was some kind of triumphant feat when it struck me as, ultimately, kind of sad.

Have you ever visited a multi-transmitter contesting station? Do you have any idea of the engineering it took to build it and make it competitive? We're talking antenna system design, careful engineering and filtering to allow multiple transmitters at high power to not interfere with others at the same QTH, power distribution for those transmitters, an acoustic operating environment that permits all those guys to be running SSB in the same room without going nuts?

Do you have any idea of the systems engineering needed to remote a single station? I'm an EE, designed complex audio systems in my professional life. I've looked at what it would take to remote my station and quickly decided that it was WAY too much work. Heck -- it takes much of my time keeping my station running for me to sit in front of. Among other things, you've got to goof-proof the control systems so that you don't fry your gear (and Mr. Rodman described). Multiply that by 5 or 6 stations, and that's a very serious accomplishment. THAT is ham radio.

Sitting in front of a radio that you bought, set on a table, and hooked up to an antenna that you bought with pre-made cables that you bought is a lot closer to CB than ham radio.

73, Jim K9YC


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