Contest Butt Hurt coming to a RX near you. CQWW SSB right around the corner.

[W3WN]

Not going to make it again this year.
My health has taken a dive over the last year,
and I spend most of my time at home.
IF I am lucky, I get out twice a month.
Once to go to the quack...er, I mean DOCTOR
and a second to go for a ride to CVS to get prescriptions filled.

There is no way I can stand and walk-around that much.

Have a good time, I hear they are expecting a big crowd again this year.

Sorry to hear that.

You want me to put a bug in Bud's ear? Maybe someone can get their hands on one of those scooters for the day?

[KC9SQR]

Thanks for the tips :)
As far as getting away from vhf-uhf though. Being a tech I'm actually kind of happy with the privileges I have for now, I actually got into ham radio and got my license specifically for the vhf-uhf privileges. I don't have much in the way of equipment. But I do a hell of a lot with what I've got :)

I started originally with a 440 only HT. A Puxing 777 actually.. It's been a good little radio, after a couple of months I went and ordered a Wouxun UV3D after reading a ton of good reviews about it.. And now I've got a Yaesu FT-8800R.. I use mostly the 8800R and the Wouxun, I've got interface cables for both to hook up to the computer, run echolink, the digital packet modes, and APRS.. I've also gotten into a bit of satellite work.. The few radios I've got I do quite a bit with actually..

My main reasons for not going into HF or being able to really are, 1 I live in an apartment with a REALLY small yard, well actually there isn't really a yard to speak of.. The property is tiny here.. I HF antennas that I've seen tend to be huge and I think the city would have definite issues with that as well as the landlord.. And 2 is budget, I really had to scrimp and save to get what I've got and really the only reason I've got the 8800R is a got a great deal for it used.. Most of the HF radios I've seen have been quite expensive and I just don't see how I could afford one for quite some time unfortunately..

The other one that I'm sure I'm about to hear a few reply's about is this.. I'm also not in a big hurry to get into HF because I do occasionally use remotehams to tune around and listen/explore, as well as I've used a few ham friends rigs to explore a bit on the HF bands.. To be honest some of the things I keep coming across seem worse than what I've heard on 11 meters... Jamming, playing music, being rude/obscene, or people being just a general asshole, etc.. I don't mind cussing though, on the right day I bet I could make a Marine Drill Instructor blush lol... But I got my ham license to get away from that..

I know it's "a few bad apples don't ruin the whole batch" kind of thing, but I have yet to have an unpleasant experience on vhf-uhf.. As well as I've been having a blast so far with the privileges I've got.. I'm sure one day I'm going to upgrade and try to get into HF though I just don't see it happening too soon... :)

I even forgot to mention those darn CORNTESTERS!!! hahaha

I used to be one of those people who used to bitch. After a while, I grew up and came to like the opportunities that contests present.



I can't see that we're in any serious danger of losing the HF bands. I'd be more concerned about UHF and up.



The "problem" is with the haters, not the contests. From what I've observed, the haters fall into the following categories:

1) People who have poor to appalling HF stations. Indoor antennas and low antennas (under 30 feet high for dipoles) are not going to produce a signal that can be heard through the din of a contest. They may be able to make contacts on an empty band, but the slightest amount of band activity makes them disappear into the background.

2) People who have radios that are 30+ years old, or dating back to Marconi. Broad as a barn door and incapable of proper filtering when the band starts to get crowded. A TS-520 or TS-820 is fine for day to day, middle of the week, conditions. So is a TS-430, TS-440, IC-718, or FT-101. They are not, however, fit for contest level activity. Especially if they are stock radios without any additional filters.

3) Certain people who think their mode of choice is the only one that is valid. This group tends to be what I refer to as Single Mode Sad Sacks. They are completely unwilling to switch to a different mode and try something else. If, for example, they use SSB and there's an SSB contest, then all the bands are useless and they can't operate at all. It would never occur to them to try switching to CW, RTTY, or trying a WARC band.

4) Frequency Squatters. This group takes many forms. The basic form is that they have used (insert frequency) since Christ was a corporal (7 days a week) and no one is allowed to use that frequency, ever. Two examples of this on the 20m band are the SSTVers and the MMSN. Other examples are any one of the various nets that infest certain bands, usually 40m and 75m. It doesn't matter to these groups if the frequency isn't being used at the moment, or won't be used for the next 2 hours. It's their frequency, so fuck off. If you happen to be operating on "their" frequency when they come on, they'll try to run you off. The SSTV people are famous for this one. If they find anyone on 14.230, all of a sudden 5 SSTV stations start transmitting all at once.

I like contests because they are a good way to measure the effectiveness of my station. When I can step into the fray during CQWW SSB and make contacts among the high power stations, using just 100 watts, it validates all the work I put into making and deploying the 5 wire antennas I have.

As an aside, I highly encourage you to get away from VHF and UHF FM as soon as you can. IMO, HF operation is far more interesting. At the very least, you should investigate weak signal (SSB/CW) operation on 2m and 70cm.

[w0aew]

According to the maps, I'm either in CQ zone 3 or 4. Not enough resolution to see where Colorado is.

[KC2UGV]

In the case of contests, I either find something else to do, or I just go back over to 30M. Works for me?

Contest this weekend, I think. Gives me an excuse to get my raised beds in the garden ready for the next season, and then convince the wife that we should do garlic this season.

[KC9ECI]

[N2CHX]

All this contest talk is making me want to see if I can possibly resurrect the little 30 meter QRP transceiver that was a victim of my basement flood.

[W3WN]

According to the maps, I'm either in CQ zone 3 or 4. Not enough resolution to see where Colorado is.

Google is your friend. And you're in Zone 4: http://www.mapability.com/ei8ic/contest/cqz.php

"Zone 4. Central Zone of North America: VE3, VE4, VE5, VE6, VE8 Akimiski Island, and W7 states of Montana and Wyoming. W0, W9, W8 (except West Virginia), W5, and the W4 states of Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky."

[w0aew]

Gracias there, senior...I mean, senor!

Google is your friend. And you're in Zone 4: http://www.mapability.com/ei8ic/contest/cqz.php

"Zone 4. Central Zone of North America: VE3, VE4, VE5, VE6, VE8 Akimiski Island, and W7 states of Montana and Wyoming. W0, W9, W8 (except West Virginia), W5, and the W4 states of Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky."

[W3WN]

No problemo

[n2ize]

In the case of contests, I either find something else to do, or I just go back over to 30M. Works for me?

Contest this weekend, I think. Gives me an excuse to get my raised beds in the garden ready for the next season, and then convince the wife that we should do garlic this season.

Why not limit contests to specific frequencies ?