November SS Phone 2010

[KC9ECI]

Did you play? How did you do?

[NQ6U]

Freakin' contesters! They screw things up for everyone!

Kidding.

I'm not contester myself but contests don't bother me.

[W2NAP]

evil contesters!

i had to do it.

if i only had a rig.

[KB3LIX]

YOU know I did...Tom

306 Q's and 77 sections.
47k + points
Missed SB, SF and QC.

I did find Tom on 80 m.

[N8YX]

I had a lot of fun listening.

Too much to do around the house to make a serious go of things.

10M was surprisingly devoid of action, but 12 and 11M most assuredly were not. Methinks some folks missed out on points by not venturing into the 28MHz area.

[W1GUH]

YOU know I did...Tom

306 Q's and 77 sections.
47k + points
Missed SB, SF and QC.

I did find Tom on 80 m.

I didn't participate -- I had the mobile out and was listening, but that contest doesn't really lend itself to mobile entries. But I did listen for quite a while Sat. and Sun. I listened for an extended period Sat. night about 9-10 PM, and the band really sounded in good shape for the contest. I heard all parts of the country -- even heard three 6-land sections, including SF. Heard the middle of the country, tne midwest, Florida up to NL.

The thing is, had it not been for SS, I doubt if I would have heard anyone at all. I woulda listened, maybe make a few CQ's (probably with no results), and switched it off after concluding that the "band is dead." Listening reminded me of my novice days back in '60 when the 80 and 40 meter novice bands were usually as crowded as the bands were for SS. Sure, it was tough being that crowded, especially if you didn't have good selectivity, but it was a lot of fun, too, to have so many stations from all parts of the country to work, just for the fun of it. Don't hear much of that type of operating anymore; that's too bad, IMHO.

[KC9ECI]

YOU know I did...Tom

306 Q's and 77 sections.
47k + points
Missed SB, SF and QC.

I did find Tom on 80 m.

You had a few more Q's than I did. 301 here. 80 sections. I was just killing time on 80M and handing out WI when you ran across my signal. It was fun. I've done U class before, but always at QRP power levels. This year I did it with 100W. NT was my last section and I had to call him a lot of times before I finally made it to the top of the pile. Fun stuff, can't wait for next year. The next big thing contesting now is the WI QSO party in March. Myself and two other guys will occupy a freq and hand out 3 counties in one stop. I'll have to put the PA QSO party on the calendar so I can give you some points next year.

[KJ3N]

Did you play?

Nope.

How did you do?

Lousy.

[KJ3N]

The thing is, had it not been for SS, I doubt if I would have heard anyone at all. I woulda listened, maybe make a few CQ's (probably with no results), and switched it off after concluding that the "band is dead." Listening reminded me of my novice days back in '60 when the 80 and 40 meter novice bands were usually as crowded as the bands were for SS. Sure, it was tough being that crowded, especially if you didn't have good selectivity, but it was a lot of fun, too, to have so many stations from all parts of the country to work, just for the fun of it. Don't hear much of that type of operating anymore; that's too bad, IMHO.

Yet the way the bitching goes on about contests, you'd think there are thousands of stations just waiting in the wings to fill those non-contest weekends. The reality, of course, is that there aren't thousands. In fact, I bet not even hundreds. More like tens. :bfd:

The other reality is that the bands are NOT DEAD. The bands are open practically every day. In order to hear that fact, however, people have to be on the air. Two RXs don't make a QSO. It takes someone to actually TX before the RX hears anything.

Another part of the equation is that you have to have an antenna that works. Being a member of the Piss-Ant, Weak-Ass, Indoor / Attic Dipole / Severe Compromise antenna club isn't going to help. I'd be willing to bet that close to half of the complaints about contesters "stomping" on someone is due to the fact that they (the stompee) can't be heard outside of the USA, or even half way across the country.

[N8YX]

I'd be willing to bet that close to half of the complaints about contesters "stomping" on someone is due to the fact that they (the stompee) can't be heard outside of the USA, or even half way across the country street.

Fixed, courtesy of all those radial-less worm-warming WonderVerticals! which so many folks seem to be a fan of.

I also don't get the whole "Spouse won't let me put up an antenna!" whine. Unless the living arrangements are totally bought and paid for by one's partner and you really don't have a say in the matter, grow a set and string some wire. Or move to a place where you can. :roll: