Jonesing for power
I had some free time and an itch to see what I could stir up with the KX1 yesterday afternoon.
On 20 meters the first signal heard was Bob, N4BP down in Florida calling ‘CQ Test’. Usually I can just listen to an exchange or two and figure out what contest is going on but that wasn’t possible yesterday because I never heard Bob work anyone — it was just his big signal calling with no takers.
A quick check online showed that one of the many activities running this weekend was the QRP-ARCI Spring QSO Party. Knowing that N4BP is a frequent QRP contester (I have him in my log 28 times) I jotted down the required exchange from the Web site and gave him a call. He came right back and in less time than it takes to tie your shoe, I had one contact in the log and one in a QSO Party that I hadn’t planned to be in.
Not hearing anyone else on 20 (weird) I decided to go to 40.
Wow — talk about stepping into the line of fire — 7020 to 7060 was a cacophony of stations. Biggest signal on the band (by far) belonged to K0RWL who was calling ‘CQ MO QP’. I knew that was the Missouri QSO Party but I couldn’t remember the required exchange so it was back to the Internet for another quick tutorial. After putting K0RWL in the log I managed a few more in the Missouri Party and then tuned across another big signal that was calling ‘CQ QCWA’.
Sigh. Back to the Internet to find the details on that one.
That’s how it went all afternoon. Lots of contacts, lots of contests and QSO parties, lots of trips to the computer to figure out what was going on. And of course, lots of RTTY stomping on the weaker CW stations…
Two hours of that buzz got me jonesing for some power and a real station.
The radio-sport isn’t something that’s appreciated by everyone — I understand that.
But it got under my skin back in 2002 and for a couple of years I had fun pretending I was a contester. It was an activity that I chose to give up because — well, I really needed to drop 30lbs and pay better attention to my health if I hoped to see my 50th birthday without surgical scars on my chest.
It was just the wrong time to get addicted to an activity that required me to sit in front of a radio/computer every minute of every weekend downing massive quantities of caffeine. Let’s face it — big-dog contesters will tell you that successful contesting begins with serious “chair time” and while that can lead to more Qs in the log — it’s also a good recipe for growing an ass the size of Rhode Island.
Something a little less sedentary was in order and since I already had a collection of trail-friendly equipment I justified selling off my higher power gear while trying to add some physical motion to my ham radio experience.
But I gotta be honest, on days like yesterday when the bands are just lousy with such happy activity I really miss being a part of it all. It’s much worse on weeks just before the really BIG contests — that’s when I dream about building a real contest station.
Maybe later this year…
73 de Jeff
April 6th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
jeff -
you are not hitting that mid life crisis, are you?
;)
73,
johnny
April 6th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Probably … but so far it’s just been amplifier lust. No sports cars.
Yet. ;-)
73 de Jeff
April 6th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
One day I’m going too own an amplifier and it probably be too late. But I do understand ‘jonesing’ for more power and better antenna systems. Right now, it’s 50-watts and a doublet, plus a whole lot of fun at least sometimes. Calling CQ nearly 2,000 times in a contest is a lot of work. One day 100-watts an optimal dipole at 35-feet is the goal. All the best from the Californian condo contest station.
73, Scot KA3DRR
April 7th, 2008 at 2:57 am
Last year I satisfied my curiosity and I joined the cqww cw contest as a “read only” operator (I just looked to other very skilled operators). Only 2 of the 48 contest hours have been sufficient to decide that contesting is not for me. There were good operators, with excellent operating skills, but spend my time pressing pc keys for macro, making 2 seconds contacts it’s very boring for me, I just didn’t feel the “contest adrenaline”.
I like the contest strategy, I appreciate people doing contest but i love my 5w rig, and I love doing what I like WHEN I like to do it and go to bed when I’m tired.
Happy contesting!
73,
Gabriele
IZ1KSW
April 7th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Contesting with low power or QRP are certainly a challenge. My own take on it: I would like to have better antennas.
I would choose better antennas over more power because I want to be able to hear more of them, rather than be a “alligator”.
But the single most cost effective station improvement I can make is to become a better operator. All it takes is elbow grease. Everything else requires cash.
And there is certainly room for improvement in the kaz-shack.
73 de w4kaz
April 18th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I was never bitten by the contesting bug. Even after 25 plus years on the air. I do enjoy working certain Special Event stations, though. But, I am finding that more of those stations are not operating cw which is depressing.
I also go to bed or read a book if my day-to-day QRP operating does not provide results after an hour or so.
Doesn’t bother me a bit and I remain faithful to QRP CW.
73
May 5th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
While I see the perspective that “chair time” can lead to poor health, the reality is that most top contesters are also in good physical condition, and they don’t need endless amounts of caffeine to keep their senses through 48 hours in the chair.
73 de Al, KE1FO