Prepare for the WEEPING, WAILING and GNASHING of TEETH !

[KC9SQR]

I never understood what the issue is anyway. In the old days I always used to have QSO's and ragchews on AM during contests. Even on field day. Never got any complaints or had any hassles. I did try phone contesting once and found it kind of boring. I sat there for about a half hour making brief contacts and racking up numbers and then got tired of it and shut down and decided to do something more interesting. Contesting just never grabbed me. But some people enjoy it and if that is what they like then I am fine with that. It's not like people are contesting 24/7/365/

I couldn't agree with you more :)

[N7YA]

I do contests so i can dot around the edges and pick up new countries. I have no rig so im hurting in my heart right now reading all these posts about 10m blazing open, but i am patient. My wife tells me i should hold out, gather more money together and get the rig i REALLY want instead of a POS to hold me over. Love that lady!

Contests are great! SO much DX to go around, and since its not the only game in town, the pileups are about 100x shorter than usual. Some countries only activate once a year for contest. I like looking waaaay up in the band for the forgotten DX lurking there as well. I never chase points or enter contests, but im happy to provide points to those who will give me a qso. I learn all exchanges for the different contests and follow the rules closely. I always observe protocol and good operating practice and overall consideration and good manners...and oddly enough, i never have any problems. I fly under everyones radar because i dont have a need to belch my angry opinions (thats what the internet is for) or stand out beyond those few seconds when calling the DX. Everyone else can be as chaotic and aggressive as they want, i can always find what im hunting through the noise. Staying calm can net you the station and a few extra years of living....whichever is more important at the moment. ;) These are really easy practices if these geezers would simply relax their sphincters a bit.

Its all about how you look at things that enter your life. Someone can look at every little thing as intrusions that need to be fought, then waste all their energy flailing about over things that wont have an affect at all to the big picture. And others look at things as either challenges or opportunity, make the best of them and see what can be gained from it. If changes happened that you dont like, and those changes are basically out of your control, then either quit altogether or roll with it. I love playing radio, i've noticed certain changes too, but after taking my time and gathering info and observing, i realized that i can still work with whats left. I find a way to make it work for me, adjust my parameters and carry on happily. Also, it helps to know that these lids and those who gripe about them have been in the hobby since day one, lamenting how the hobby is changing and its "just not the same", the good old days are gone, noobs are ruining everything, etc, etc...with that in mind, its not a new problem to be addressed, its simply two modes of thought, everything is a problem or everything has a potential solution, you just decide which line you want to follow. I choose the line of "whatever, lets make it work!".

I will have a rig by next year, and i will be back on the air for the next contest season. I will also hit 300 DX entities with 100w or less total!! See you then. :)

[K7SGJ]

I do contests so i can dot around the edges and pick up new countries. I have no rig so im hurting in my heart right now reading all these posts about 10m blazing open, but i am patient. My wife tells me i should hold out, gather more money together and get the rig i REALLY want instead of a POS to hold me over. Love that lady!

Contests are great! SO much DX to go around, and since its not the only game in town, the pileups are about 100x shorter than usual. Some countries only activate once a year for contest. I like looking waaaay up in the band for the forgotten DX lurking there as well. I never chase points or enter contests, but im happy to provide points to those who will give me a qso. I learn all exchanges for the different contests and follow the rules closely. I always observe protocol and good operating practice and overall consideration and good manners...and oddly enough, i never have any problems. I fly under everyones radar because i dont have a need to belch my angry opinions (thats what the internet is for) or stand out beyond those few seconds when calling the DX. Everyone else can be as chaotic and aggressive as they want, i can always find what im hunting through the noise. Staying calm can net you the station and a few extra years of living....whichever is more important at the moment. ;) These are really easy practices if these geezers would simply relax their sphincters a bit.

Its all about how you look at things that enter your life. Someone can look at every little thing as intrusions that need to be fought, then waste all their energy flailing about over things that wont have an affect at all to the big picture. And others look at things as either challenges or opportunity, make the best of them and see what can be gained from it. If changes happened that you dont like, and those changes are basically out of your control, then either quit altogether or roll with it. I love playing radio, i've noticed certain changes too, but after taking my time and gathering info and observing, i realized that i can still work with whats left. I find a way to make it work for me, adjust my parameters and carry on happily. Also, it helps to know that these lids and those who gripe about them have been in the hobby since day one, lamenting how the hobby is changing and its "just not the same", the good old days are gone, noobs are ruining everything, etc, etc...with that in mind, its not a new problem to be addressed, its simply two modes of thought, everything is a problem or everything has a potential solution, you just decide which line you want to follow. I choose the line of "whatever, lets make it work!".

I will have a rig by next year, and i will be back on the air for the next contest season. I will also hit 300 DX entities with 100w or less total!! See you then. :)

Just out of curiosity, what would your ideal rig be, or at least the one you want? (No not Eleanor rig be)

[N7YA]

Well...since you removed my obvious Beatles pun, i have to give a real answer.

I would like a K3 with all the filters.

But some of the new TenTec stuff is really interesting to me. And, of course, i always love me some Yaesu gear. It all comes down to how much money i can spare, which is true for most material things these days.

[n2ize]

I couldn't agree with you more :)

The only incident I once has was from a contester who was trying to be helpful. I think he was a pretty new ham. I was having a conversation on AM on 75 meters and at one point some contester broke in on sideband and suggested I check my radio out because it seemed to be putting out a carrier. I think he was a bit surprised whan I told him that I am glad to hear it is putting out a carrier as that is exactly what it is supposed to do when working correctly. Then I told him what A3E type emissions were.

[N7YA]

The only incident I once has was from a contester who was trying to be helpful. I think he was a pretty new ham. I was having a conversation on AM on 75 meters and at one point some contester broke in on sideband and suggested I check my radio out because it seemed to be putting out a carrier. I think he was a bit surprised whan I told him that I am glad to hear it is putting out a carrier as that is exactly what it is supposed to do when working correctly. Then I told him what A3E type emissions were.

[KG4NEL]

Well...since you removed my obvious Beatles pun, i have to give a real answer.

I would like a K3 with all the filters.

But some of the new TenTec stuff is really interesting to me. And, of course, i always love me some Yaesu gear. It all comes down to how much money i can spare, which is true for most material things these days.

When I visit some family for Thanksgiving, I'm planning on making a stop at the VA HRO - want to test-drive a TS-590S. That seems like everything I'd like out of a rig...the K3 is interesting, and I've loved it during the contests I've used it in, but at double the price I have to ask myself if I really need a full second receiver, or that kind of rig control...probably not.

Kind of thinking of going all-Kenwood for the next shack, actually. I love the aesthetics of the TM-D710, although what I'll use an APRS/packet rig for I have absolutely no clue...

[K7SGJ]

When I visit some family for Thanksgiving, I'm planning on making a stop at the VA HRO - want to test-drive a TS-590S. That seems like everything I'd like out of a rig...the K3 is interesting, and I've loved it during the contests I've used it in, but at double the price I have to ask myself if I really need a full second receiver, or that kind of rig control...probably not.

Kind of thinking of going all-Kenwood for the next shack, actually. I love the aesthetics of the TM-D710, although what I'll use an APRS/packet rig for I have absolutely no clue...

You can always use the D710 to link to the 590s for remote ops.

Actually, I have been looking at the 590s for about a year trying to justify it. I've tried the one at HRO locally many times, and it is a sweet rig. Like you, it has everything I could ever want. Let me know how you like it. I'm thinking about culling the herd here, and just keeping the stuff I plan on using. Maybe when you're ready we can see if someone will cut a deal on two of them, eh?