Barry is a friend of mine from PVRC. He is a newcomer to the contest scene (as am I, just newer than me, so I can call him a newcomer ;-) He writes prolifically and I always read what he has to say. I have to say that if Barry were to write a book about accounting, I know I would enjoy reading it. To see what I mean, here is Barry's submission the the PVRC reflector for his WPX effort this past weekend.
Call: K4CZ ...
Comments:
My primary rig is out for repairs so I dusted off my TS-830 for some
casual operating between family events. The TS-830 is one of the last of
the"hybrid" rigs (6146B finals). The rig doesn't have a port for computer control and its grid block keying (-60V at the key terminal) isn't compatible with my Microkeyer so it was a "back to basics" contest for me.I connected my N0XAS Pico Keyer and hand-sent all code with my
paddle...nottoo difficult but it made me realize how "lazy" I had become...I've
actually worked entire CW contests by pushing N1MM macro buttons and almost
never touching my CW paddle. The TS-830 definitely doesn't have QSK
either...theT/R relay is loud enough to rattle the shack windows...even my dog
couldn't sleep in his usual spot under the shack table! Quick
bandchanges?...fuggedaboutit...even if I write down the load, plate and
drive settings, I like to touch up the tuning while transmitting into a
dummy load...way too much work for casual operating. Like to
operate assisted?...well you can't just click on a spot and go there...you have
tospin the dial...and make sure you subtract 800 Hz from the spot since the rig
display is offset in CW mode when receiving. Crowded
band conditions?...well there aren't any roofing filters or non-stock filters
in my TS-830...just IF shift, VBT and a manual notch...provides a
completely different perspective on the fiercely debated comparisons between
the performance of the Orion II and the FT-1000MP.Am I complaining?...sure am. Did I have fun?...absolutely. By the end of the contest, I even improved my CW sending skills quite a bit. I enjoy the competitive
aspect of contesting and am constantly striving for personal bests and higher
finishes in the rankings. Like most of you, one of the joys of contesting
for me is constantly refining my station to maximize the Qs obtainable within the
constraints of my equipment budget, operating skills and available time.
What I learned this weekend, however, is that in the process of "optimizing" my
station, I've computerized and automated so much of the contesting process that
the joy of radio is sometimes lost. I'm not going to give up my Microham
Microkeyer with its 150 features and capabilities or any of the other
conveniences of my station. However, I am going to make sure that I pick at
least one contest each season when I go"back to basics"...use the tube rig, send
CW manually, turn off the packet spots and maybe even log by hand...well, maybe
not log by hand. But don't worry...I won't take my nostalgia trip
during Sweepstakes...based on my slide rule calculations, my QTH is 140.701 miles
from the center of the PVRC universe so my modest scores will still contribute to
the greater good...assuming the universe remains circular and its radius doesn't
shrink significantly ;-)Thanks for all the Qs from PVRC members and apologies to those who were subjected to my occasionally sloppy CW sending.
73, Barry K4CZ
Well, see what I mean? Good job Barry! Yes, operating was different back in the bad old days. And, no, I agree, don't go back to hand logging. I wasn't a contester back then, but I do remember Field Day and logging with a pencil and road map sized dupe sheet! If you were low man on the totem pole at Field Day back then, you spent the bulk of your time fueling generators and sharpening pencils! Yikes, perish the thought.
Rock on!
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