Dave Heil wrote:
wrote:
wrote:

This weekend is the ARRL November Sweepstakes (SS) on CW. I plan to be
on the air,
making as many points as possible. SS is perhaps my favorite contest,
because it
requires a real exchange (4 pieces of info besides the callsign, and
the signal report
is not part of the exchange.)


RS(T) is a standard "piece" of info. A QSO would not be complete
without it, IN MY OPINION. If there are any ARRL card checkers out
there, is a card without a signal report valid?

A QSL card without a signal report is most assuredly valid for awards.

Thanks, Dave. I was wrong.

I also like it because even a modest
station can get a
big score.


Regardless of contest, a modest station only competes with itself.

How do you figure that? There are categories set up for low power
stations and for QRP stations.

And every station is such category is different. Work on improving
your operating skill or work on improving your station, or both.

The fall and winter also bring out a lot of anti-contest and anti-DX
complaints. Some
of them may be justified - not every contester or DXer is 100%
courteous 100% of the
time.

Just worry about your own station like Heil recommends.

I wrote only about operating one's station in accordance with the
regulations.

I'm so glad that you left out "good amateur practice" which is what Jim
was referring to.

But a lot of the technical progress in ham radio, particularly on
HF/MF, has come about
because of contesters and DXers.

You don't say.

He said.

In reading some FEMA literature recently, HF is a legacy communication
system.

Compare a typical midrange HF ham transceiver of today with one from
the '60s or '70s
and consider how many features and performance improvements came about
because
DXers and contesters pushed for them, developed them, and paid for
them. Better
filters, better dynamic range, multiple VFOs, memories, I/O ports,
no-tune-up operation,
separate rx antenna inputs, and much much more can all be traced at
least in part to
the needs and wants of contesters and DXers.


Are you going to use your tube transmitter?

Do you plan to operate at all?

No. I live in a restricted neighborhood. My antennas are ready to
deploy if there's an emergency, but I don't intend to violate the
covenant rules for "pleasure" operating.

Are you going to operate a tube radio for the contest?

Want to compare numbers? Check out how differently the receivers of old
and new
ham rigs perform:

http://www.sherweng.com/table.html

Is there a computer in your shack? One of the first widespread uses of
computers
in hamshacks was to keep contest logs. Memory keyer? Developed for
contesting.

There are lots more examples but you get the idea.

Yes.

Good for you.

Thank you.

Of course a lot of these features first appear in the top-of-the-line
rigs that most of
us cannot afford. But then they work their way down to the lower-priced
stuff as the
technology matures and the development costs are paid off.

Whether you like contests and DXing or not, they do contribute to the
ARS.

(cue sound of soapbox being put away)

73 de Jim, N2EY

Thank you, Jim. You've almost caught up with what John Dorr was
editorilizing 15 years ago.

Does that mean we'll be hearing from you in the CW SS?

Dave K8MN

It means that you may be hearing from John Dorr in the Sweeps. Or not.