The AM Forum

Well, I just received notification that I will be granted use of W9T again this year for the Heavy Metal Rally Celebration.  Hope to hear some more 1x1 calls, got yours yet?  I will be operating with the special call sign W9T from 12-19-08 thru 1-2-09.

73,  Jack, W9GT / W9T

Good for you Jack.  Didn't catch any write-up or "call to arms" in my latest ER. But then again I always get mine late.  I was W8R last year but don't think I'll bother to register this time.

Only a few 2007 logs were sent to ER.  I think most of the fun is just working the contacts when a lot of AM is on the air.  Also one guy who promoted heavy metal doesn't seem to hang out here lately.  Probably just me, but a little luster seems to have wafted away from the contest.

Eyore  ;D

Look for W7W from Tum Tum, WA

The write-up was in the November issue of ER....perhaps that was a mistake as some might forget about it.  Heavy Metal Rally is Dec. 27.  Great fun...lots of AM operation leading up to , as well as following the actual event.  It's very easy to apply for a 1 x1 call and it makes a great PR statement for AM, with many special event calls showing up on AM during the holidays.  Check out the site:
http://www.ncvec.org/1x1.php

Only takes a day or two to get call.  Use Heavy Metal Rally as event.


73,  Jack, W9GT / W9T

I expect to be back on the air for both the H.M.R. as well as Straight Key (that on/off digital mode) Night as W3G again this year...

Lots of fun in both cases...

" Also one guy who promoted heavy metal doesn't seem to hang out here lately"

Yeah, what ever happened to Paul?

PS:   UPDATE!  Received conformation, W3G issued for 23 Dec 08 thru 3 Jan 09...

Look for W7Z  all homebrew AM. They would not issue W7X.

"X" already taken?

"Z's" good, - last letter and all.  We should petition FCC for Greek letters; then you'd get Omega.

X wasn't taken, they said that X wasn't being issued following a number. Much like the old days when X immediately after the number was reserved for experimental stations. Only in the 90's did they change that ruling, but apparently it still applies to special event stations. It took me by surprise as the FCC has changed about every other old rule.

Craig from Springfield, OR. will be on the air that day using the 1X1, K7K.

73's
wd8kdg

  Special event station KOA will be transmitting from Kansas City.
                                                                    73's
                                              Kilowatt-alpha-zero-amplitude-radio-amateur
                                                                    Mike

Will you be running 50 kW?

  Only... in my dreams ;D

Only?  I don't know much about contesting but 2007..... oh nevermind!

I was about to say that 2007 was an amazing number of logs for our minuscule population.  Then the coincidence of the number with the year and, well you get the idea.

I was also going to suggest that it would have been nice to post the results here for those who do not subscribe to ER.

I kept a log but it sort of got in the way of the fun and I never submitted it.

I applied for K9A about this time last night and I see tonight that I have it again as of 12/21.

Got the 8000's all tweaked up for mine sweeper duty from the boonies of Illinois.

See you all there,

Jack

How do you send greek letter omega in CW?

sorry Jackson,  contest results were early 2008. Oh well, the contest was in 2007.

Omega, I guess just an "O."  ;D

OK, you guys, you shamed me into it. I just applied for W8R.
We'll have fun regardless.
Always fun to work the tall ships.
The new twin 813 rig will resound in all it's glory.

The 75 m band sounds lousy here this AM 0600. I am xtal controlled starting at 3780 and have xtals every 20 kc up to 3840 then every 10 kc to 3860 and then every 5 kc starting at 3865. Hope you hear some of you on AM with 1 x 1's in the AM Dec. 26-30.

Can anyone advise what time the Heavy Metal Rally begins on 12/27?  I did'nt see the start time in the issue of ER that announced the HMR. Or maybe I did'nt look hard enough.

Thanks & 73,

Bruce

Usually tall ships operate on 160, 80 and sometimes 40.
I guess that sometime in the afternoon of the 27th or early evening, 80 is available for the contest.  160 comes in later, pretty much after dark. Given that it's winter and in a sunspot minimum, the contest will 'start' pretty early in the afternoon.  I started at 5:00pm last year I think.

It is very informal.  -some guys don't even realize (or care) that it's a contest. some may have started before others keep 'official' logs. , don'cha know...  ;D

Gud luk in the c, om. 

Hello Rick!!

I hate contests!!!!  Operating events are fine and I consider this to be the later. I do wished it were called the AM Jamboree instead of it's current moniker. Remember the Jamborees of the Press Exchange days?  What fun they were. Seems like they were band specific with the biggest being just after Thanksgiving on 75 meters.

Maybe catch you on the air om.

Hi Dave, long time no see.

BBQ pork sandwiches at Bowie anyone?
Dave eats 'em.  Sings well too.  ;D

Yeah, the heavy metal rally is supposed to be taller ships, like you have rather than an AM press=exchange.
See ya on the air OM

Heard some of the slopbuckets p$##ing and moaning tonight about those AMers having heavy metal night.  They can't seem to get the message that the easiest way to get rid of "interference" from AM is to just move to another part of the band.  .....probably the turtle guy and his buddies. ???

I have been calling cq heavy metal AM on 3820 and 3840 this AM at 0500-0600 and only come back was a slopbucket ... I couldn't understand his moaning as I haven't installed the BFO transformer in my homebrew receiver yet. I wish we could have heavy metal AM every 10 kc of the phone band and the super slop buckets could take a day or so off.

Dave, you had a nice signal into here last night on 3695.  I listened for a while, but just as soon as I retuned the rig to frequency, I heard you say you were signing out, so I just listened and did not try to break in.


Looking forward to this evening, but my hopes are not too high; QRN condx may suck:

Don - If you had broken in I would have stayed on awhile. Been a long time since I have worked you. The last time was on CW I think.

Why wait until tonight? I worked W9A, W3G last night, after midnight. I think I already have 5000 points!

Steve said:
Wooo hoooo! CQ contest, CQ contest, CQ contest!!!! ;)

I guess 160 is going to be a wash this year.

(http://thunderstorm.vaisala.com/explorer_files/lts-image.jpg?foo=1230405804921)

Around 2300 Z  for the past few days, the 75 meter band starts to go long from here  I hear 9 and 0 stations....then around 0000-0100 the East coast starts to come in..Last nite 160 went long until about
0500Z...Mikey.....That lightning streak looks like a sizable storm...Maybe it will settle down later

Steve,
I listening, little bit heard on 20, less on forty.  Beer is lined up in the diminishing snow bank.  I'm ready dude. ;D
woc

Nice clear frequencies down low. Got HUZ and WA2PJP on 3705 and WA1HLR, WD8BIL, W0VMC on 3678 kHz.

COME ON DOWN.

Got WD8BIL and W3JN on 3705 now.

I was testicling up at 3710 but it sounded like the group was getting pretty large. 160 isn't too bad considering the line of T-storms in the mid-west.

Man!,  I only heard some intermittent stuff here.  The noise was awful on 75 & 160 from all of the wind, rain and snow static we had.  It was S9 plus noise from at least 4 PM, until I went to bed at 1 AM - just a total wash for radio stuff.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

80/75 meters was in great shape. Without any special effort I worked about 25 stations from Florida to Wisconsin. I heard Bill, KD0HG at 10-over-9 but didn't get a chance to work him. Heard several groups on 160 too, but never made it there. I don't think there was as much activity as other years (although there were 5 separate AM groups on 80/75 at one point), the band most certainly was not the problem. I even got to work F6AQK!

The band wasn't the problem....I had 40+ contacts in the log when the computer ate it... Then the electric power went off .........so I went to bed

 23 contacts on 80 meters & 6 on 160. 15 states, 5 1x1 callsigns. Tried to load the transmitter down on 3700kc  >:(
 could of worked more.

                                            Mike/KOA

All the Heavy Hitters was sounding good on my RAL 7 in the garage, Temps in the 70s, don't get much better than this for December.  Matthew  KR4WI

The band cleared up extremely well at this QTH later into the evening, considering that a thunderstorm line, which extended all the way from Houston to Chicago, had just passed through.  Severe thunderstorm/damaging wind warnings on TV, but nothing here but a brief downpour and a few gusts.  I didn't get on during prime evening hours while the storm was passing, and by the time I did fire up later, everyone was starting to crap out for their beauty rest.  Still managed to work a few stations with  little or no QRN.  Felt a little like I still hadn't 100% recovered from the Xmas eve party, so I decided to shut down and join the Nicad Crew.

But the damned line noise was gone for the 4th night in a row!  Hopefully they actually made some repairs, and it won't come back.

The two most outstanding sigs here were from Steve, W1E and Brentina.
Smokin bandmasters.
Impressive for running those little 3-Legged fuses.

Great Rally!

I worked 77 stations in 25 states and one outside country (Portugal - a guy running at TR7 on AM - pretty strong signal).

I would have worked 100 stations, but the rally ended at midnight, so I stopped logging at that point.  The band got real good after midnight.  Probably the 'rally should run from something like 6:00am EST on Saturday to 6:00am EST on Sunday.  This would give all areas of the country a chance to work the real AM DX that comes in after midnight.

Bill, you were one of the big guns here in the East.

By the way, you had a high frequency audio parasitic when you were down around 3700, but the parasitic was not present when I talked with you up around 3880.  Thought I'd mention it !   ;)

Talk later and Regards,

Steve

"Operating Event" my A$$!! Time to stick a fork in it, its done! The "Heavy Metal Rally" has now turned into a full blown corntest. A corntest is a corntest is a corntest!! Szht by any other name still smells the same!

The once layed back format of the heavy metal rally has now turned into the "get the info and go" format of a full blown corntest. It used to be a very friendly bunch of operators and continuing qso's where everyone just logged the participants. Saturday evening was simply mass pandemonium with everyone just trying to roll up the contact totals.

Several of the qso's I was in, the participants just simply left after getting my contact info. Many left while myself or other participants were still talking. this is not the laid back, friendly atmosphere from rallies of old! It is now even bringing contest operators out on old gear to participate that will not be heard from until next years corntest. They might as well be calling "CQ SS".

Between poor operating conditions, AM QSO's stacked right next to each other, tons and tons of IRATE ssb jammers and qwermers it was "full battle mode!!" all the way. It was not a pleasent operating experience, but quite frustrating. As I was really getting a major atitude, I just said "screw it" and shut everything off and went to bed before I let my 'tude out over the air.

I think it is time to seriously evaluate this "operating event" as it has turned into full blown corntest and lost a lot of it's charm.

                                                         the Slab Bacon

Hey Slab,

I'm really sorry that you had such a bad experience!  I really enjoyed the event. contest or not.  I guess that debate will continue as long as there are those who dislike contests and those who enjoy participating in them.  For the most part, I had a great time.  Worked a lot of old friends and made several new ones.  I think the anti-contesters need to chill just a bit and get in and enjoy the activity, while promoting AM operation.  Certainly, some will always be more interested in the "competition" aspects than others.

Conditions on 75 were very good, but very variable....going from short to long..and back again, within minutes.  That made it hard at times to enjoy long QSOs and/or avoid QRMing each other.  As far as the disgruntled slopbucketeers went...they just made fools of themselves and they could have easily moved a little to avoid QRM or conflicts.  The fact is...they hate AM and will always try to cause us problems, regardless of the nature of the AM activity.

I stayed on 75 M the whole time, because 160M was just too noisy here.  We actually had two thunderstorms roll through Sat. nite.  I worked a little over 50 contacts, counting all the participants in the big roundtables that I was able to exchange info with, and had a ball just listening to all those great AM sigs.  Worked as far as California, and all up and down the east coast.

The only complaint that I would have is that the "rules" really need to be tied down a little more....lots of confusion about operating hours, start time, etc. 
I hope that the activity will continue, but it may need to return to a similar format to what we enjoyed with the "AM Jamborees" in the past.

73,  Jack, W9GT / W9T

I found a lot of folks who didn't want to get involved in the "contest" aspect of the Rally simply went down the band a bit and just rag chewed.  I did a bit of both;  sometimes I was seeing who was out there - new contact wise, and other times I was just QSOing.

Of course, I also know I can't possibly ever "win" the contest using a class E rig (due to the screwy scoring), so for me personally, I didn't take things too seriously, other than logging who I spoke with.

I never heard anyone who was truely in "contest mode", but I'm sure they were there someplace.

The band was very up and down.  Some of the big groups became problematical because, at least for me, I could not hear all of the participants.  This gets old real fast, so on several occasions I simply started a new QSO rather than trying to fight it out in a disjointed converation  ;)

The rally is really not organized well enough to qualify as a bona-fide contest.  Things like start and end times, more consistant (and more fair) scoring and other aspects would need to be well defined and specified to get any serious participants. 

For me, it is still an operating event.  I think I must have explained the purpose of the "Heavy Metal Rally" at least 20 times, for new folks who didn't know about it.  This was good, and I talked with a number of people who had never been on AM !!!!!!!  So, in that respect the Rally got some people to try a new mode and that was a good thing!

Hi Jack,
           I heard you and quite a few others from out that way. As the band got more and more screwed up I wasen't gonna try to fight the qwerm to try to get in there. I also heard the other Jack, K9ACT the loudest that I have ever heard him on saturday night. Like I said, though, people were coming and going in mid qso just to grab the contacts from the next qso down.

In previous days of the wild and wooly break-in sessions on 3.885, If you hung out for the break-in session and then hung in there after it slacked off later at night, you could easily work close to 50 different callsigns while just having fun. Many nights I used up a szhtload of scratch paper just writing down the callsigns and keeping track of who all was in there.

Like you said, they are gonna have to tweak up the rules somewhat, or it will end up becoming just another qwermtest. Right now, "it looks like fish, it smells like fish. so it surely cant be chicken".

                                                        The Slab Bacon

Come on, Steve,
                       You were in one of the qso's that I was in. I went to turn it over to you and POOF you were gone. Next thing I find you in another qso down band a bit. I stayed there with Stu untill the band got too long and we lost out path and the jamming plugged my ears.

                                                                the Slab Bacon

Gee, no problem on 1885 Stu was sipping wine and trying to explain DSP to a couple hardware guys. We had a great time.

Sure you can earn top honors!

The rule is, 250 watts or a rig weighing at least 250 pounds.
You *were* running at least 250 watts, so you're eligible.

The idea of the event is to promote QRO homebrew and converted old broadcash transmitters, perhaps to save an old Gates, RCA or Raytheon transmitter from the landfill....An evening with wall-to-wall BIG AM signals on the air.

Nothing more, nothing less.

If someone wants to earn top-dog, then start building some big iron (Class E or otherwise) or restore a broadcash transmitter or restore and use something like a BC-610.

That's the intent of the event. To get the tall ships sailing, as many as possible on one evening.

Is that so evil?

I don't know why anyone would get too worked up about what's been known as a very loose 'contest.'
Most didn't even send in logs to ER last year. From the sounds of things on the air and in these posts maybe a few more will this year so, in a way it's nice to hear some bitching.  Better than the event fading away.

Last year as well as this year my "log" didn't necessarily include accurate times, freq''s, or stations  ;D. I kept track mostly to avoid confusion as to who was in a roundtable, doncha know...
  
    Operating as loosely a 'contest' as we do, many of us don't think logging is necessary. It's still a good time and one can QSO as long as wanted, if the other guy wants points, yeah, he moves off freq.  ER's been very good about accepting logs about any ol' which way without anal retentive verification, etc.  That to me is the true ham radio spirit.  ER 'themselves' might have added to the contest seriousness by adding more point/distance, etc. multipliers this year.  But what the hay...

Big audio (HI FI yet still penetrating plus full quieting, most of the time) awards to W3A and W2R from my perspective.

Farthest worked from my QTH was KD0HG, Bill in Colorado - info actually exchanged properly.

The myrad of stations worked, but not necessarily confirmed both ways since many were in roundtables (The SSB guys would have no idea how that works in a 'contest) were:

W9T, W1E (net control for awhile  ;D), W9A, W8A, K9A, K8MEM, W3NP(dicey, too close), W0VMC, K2VGM, Wa1SSJ, W2R
Later in the evening, Ka8WCK, KA1KAQ, AB3AL, W3SLK, WA2PJP, Ka8WCK, W2XI, W2R again, W3D, WB0JZG, W3A, W3G (Hi Ralph!), N4VMY, N4AK, WB3HUZ (for the zillionth time OM)  KB3AHE in and out.

So yeah Frank, I have to agree that some disappeared from one freq, only to reappear suddenly elsewhere, but then I couldn't have known that if I didn't do it too.  I think that the guys that wanted to have fun (CQCQgudlukinthecontestOM,hispeedvoice, youknowwhoyouareHUZ) did so and the others went for 'points.'  
All in all, lots of fun.  We could work 'em or make fun of 'em and ourselves.

Absent from the show were W2ZM AWA, heh, heh, types or at least I didn't hear them.  They're gearing up for antique night and straight key "knight' I guess.  How about that Ralphie, got your key hot'n'ready?

W8R, Rick

You framed the problem perfectly. I coun't hear Stu.  He is too close to me.  I also couldn't hear some of the other guys, and there was a lot of QRM.  So, I went off and started another QSO, and that one got going pretty fast because it was the rally and lots of folks were on.

This sort of thing happens all the time, rally or no rally.  The band is long or goes long, and some guys can't hear each other.  Usually, when that happens I sign out and allow the guys who can actually hear each other talk, and I either go to another band or another frequency.  Nothing unusual about that  :D

I can't win the rally because I am using a solid state rig, and don't get the "tube rig bonus" (that bonus doubles the number of contacts for tube rig operators because they get 1 additional point for each contact made with a tube rig).  That's why I didn't take the contest aspect seriously  8)  But, not being much of a contester, I was mostly there to support the event, operate on AM, give people points, and have fun !!!

Talk later and Regards,

Steve

You are REALLY getting out well if you worked N4VMY.

Indeed, you'd have to get out the ground penetrating radar for that one.  Bill's been a SK since July.

I think Rick was hittng the bottle hard that evening. KA1KAQ isn't on the air, he was on the phone, and Bill KA8WTK was there but not ka8wCk. - -- -  then Bill vmy????????


G

Ya Rick..... and I chatted with ya for an hour....didn't even make ur list.
What am I , chopped liver??? (hee hee)

At one point u were S9+25 ... gud siganiganal!

Buddly, you must have been avoiding me, didn't hear you.

Rick may have been looking at last year's log.  I was W9T last year also.  :o :)

73,  Jack, W9GT / W9T

uh, er...

Hey, I tole you loggin' was loose  ;D     Uh, did I work you Gary?  um hmmm?   who was imbibing and when?
yeah, must have been hittin' sumpin.'

probably wrote down conversations.  - Bill Deker, N4VMY  RIP OM, my apologies.
guess I won't be turning anything in to ER.
Hey buddly, "can't catch every fish in the sea.". as the cop told me after questioning 'why me?'
So sorry, consider yourself logged.  Anyone else I missed or added, just consider the fun quotient.

8R

I didn't get any contest flavor.  Not sure what you are talking about Frank. The band was very quiet in the 3700 region and lots of contacts made in a very laid back QSO mode. At one time there was three different QSOs going on. If you stayed up in the ghetto, then you got what you deserved. Move out to the burbs and enjoy a drink and a cigar on the back deck. No stray bullets from the drive -bys.

Stations Worked at HUZ Radio (and no, contrary to some reports, I wasn't in contest mode or going for "the win". Been there, done that, got the trophy).

3733
KD3CN
W3G
KB3AHE
W3JN
W8R
K3ZRF
W3JN
W2XR
W2R

3880
W2R
W8A
W9T
KC8ZUL
N1YTN
W9QI
W9GY
W1IA
W0XV
K1KBW
W0VMC

3705
WA2PJP
WD8BIL
W3JN
W2XR
W1GUD
W8R
AB3AL
WB0JZG
N4AK
W1E
W3NP
W3G
W2JBL
F6AQK
K4KYV

" if'n you show me yours..."

gonna turn yours in Steve?

Should've taped you; I didn't know anyone could speed talk that fast.
(I know. - you probably taped yourself  ;D)

No, didn't keep a log, just wrote down calls. Already have a trophy. Don't need another one.

hmmmmm....... I do see a list from 3.880?? looks like you wuz vizitin the poor side of the tracks as well!!  :o :o  And. errr, furthermore........... I worked you down on 3705.
(Hey Buddly, I guess we're both chopped liva)  ::) ::)

And as far as not keeping your log, thatz a terrible thing when you dont have a log ;D ;D

                                                                the Slab Bacon

....and take that Williamsport.

You guys crack me up  :o


Had a very nice old buzzardly QSO with Don, KYV last night on 3705, (I think, whar's my sippin w.).  Very gentlemanly. He even started dinny for his wiffen who was returning from the rock piles of heavy work.  Now that's a ham.  As opposed to Steve's contest mode, the average turnaround was 10 minutes.

I had fun...didn't bother keeping track..Keith and I ended up rag chewin at the top of the band. Contest Smontest..who cares.
Just good hearing all those strapping signals on the band.
Well back to trying to repair all the broken ants.

W1(Icey Antenna)

Brent

Yep, I visited the ghetto. But when it got crowded and noisy, I left. Why P&M when you can find a clear frequency. A VFO is a wonderful thing.

AMers, I tell ya.  ;D

Jen and I ended up making a last minute road trip to Tampa, got home around 8:30 after things were rolling along nicely. Immediately went to the 80m portion and found a great group on 3705 including 'INR, 'PJP, 1x1 'RSW, 'HUZ, 'GMS and others. Called 'PJP on the LL due to no ants in the air, letting him know that yes - he makes the trip to 4-Land jes' fine. Talked with him while he was on the air (distracting? me?) and got to check in W3GMS via landline when 'PJP wasn't sure who it went to. To which 'GMS responded "It's pretty sad when a SWL has to phone in your place in the QSO". Funny moment, right up there with Johnny Novice's comment to the affect of "Todd needs to get off his ass and get an antenna up". Jen spit her Saranac brew with that comment and said 'yes he does!'. I think she misses her guest appearances.

Couldn't hear the 'HUZman well at first, but he came booming in later when Joe and I ended the phone call. Too close in apparently earlier on. Tried out 160 and could barely make out Frank 'GFZ.

So from north-central NC on the R-390A, keeping in mind the shoestring inside antenna about 15 feet long in a coil, from memory:

WB3HUZ
W3JN
W2INR
WA2PJP
W3GMS
W2XR
KB3AHE
W8? (W3RSW?)
WA1GFZ
WD8BIL
KD0HG
W1E
KA8WTK
K0JZJ(?)
others whose calls escape me

Hands down channel master at my location was Gary, W2INR followed by WA2PJP, W3GMS, and W2XR. Later in the evening when the band shortened up a bit Steve 'HUZ was da boss. Was pleased to hear Buddly 'BIL coming in so well, and Bill 'WTK who usually runs 100w or so? Really surprised to hear Bill KD0HG as well as I did considering my situation here. Not strong, but good, loud audio, perfectly readable.

Jen had a good time listening in. We cracked a couple cold ones, opened a can of peanuts, and listened to the wonderful audio while catching up with 'PJP via phone. A good way to unwind after driving 11 hours. It would be nice to have a follow-on event sometime during the winter in the same spirit, with the emphasis on operating and enjoying, not some perception of needing to 'win'. I didn't hear anyone striving for points on 80m, just kicking back to enjoy an evening of fun with like-minded folks.

Good deal Todd. Hope to hear you on the air soon.

Uh, Todd... you were on the phonium?
I remember now !  uh, huh.  yeah, right.  in the zone, yeah, in the zone.

- sounds like another great contest on the R390.  First thing you know you'll be gettin' a receive only transmitter like mine.   (SDR thread p&m, alternate reality on this here board.)

W8R, the other '3RSW.  ;D

Uh-Oh! You said contest. :o

Hey Todd,
  No 100 watts that night. I had the 4-400 rig fired-up.

Bill

You musta been talking to N4VMY at the time.

I hate to sound like a whiner but after making one transmission into your "rag chew", I was totally ignored and after attempting to break in again about 5 times, I gave up in disgust.

Trigger fingers do not make for a nice rag chew.

I put a lot of effort into promoting the Rally on the Noon Time Forum and most of what I heard the day after was problems such as this and "the same old guys who monopolize it every night were just doing more of the same".

I didn't see it quite like that and enjoyed myself but I tried to emphasize the promotion of AM as opposed to
QRO + night and I am afraid lots of budding am'ers got turned off.

I know you're a super guy Brent and don't usually operate that way but this was a special night and bla bla bla... I guess I am a whiner.

js

rolled me in the aisle again.
jn said,
Actually inbetween rolling cigars for the White House and your next farty, I operate duplex realities JN...  you know that.   8)

I would vote for Gary, W2R as the channel master using "real" tube-type heavy metal.  Much as I hate admit it, however, Steve, WA1QIX and Brent, W1IA were sounding fantastic on those Class E sand-state rigs.  Lots of great sounding signals on for Heavy Metal night...enjoyed it a lot!

73,  Jack, W9GT / W9T

One way to de-contestify it would be to not have points. Then stations would not compete for points. I'm seldom on the air, but when I do, it is to talk with someone or a group for a bit and maybe earn a QSL card. I don't regularly do "field day" because it is too hectic and I do not enjoy that (I can overlook the SSB aspect, but it's also 100 degrees in Texas during that cornfest).  Anyway I'm glad yall had fun with tubes.

Hi Jack - it was nice working you (several times) during the Rally !  Some great signals out there.  I somehow missed Gary during the whole thing, and I was on pretty much from 8:00am to midnight, taking some breaks in there for food, creature comforts and other necessities!

On the "contest"....

The way I look at it is this:  The Rally is kind of a contest;  there are points collected and a prize awarded, and a reasonably short duration to the event.  There are many ways to make the event more of a QSO party:

1) Make the Rally 2 or 3 days instead of 1 day in length.  This would really be a good thing.  For those who want to try to "win", there are a finite number of stations to work.  Eventually, you've worked just about everyone and can now relax and get into QSOs... or drag out the time to work the stations over the 2 or 3 days and take longer to do it.  Either way, it takes away the pressure.  That alone would really make the event more of an operating event.  And, there are probably many who might be able to make it on one day and not another.  Also, to work more bands.

2) Award prizes in multiple categories.  This makes sense.  It gives more people a reason to participate, send in logs and pictures and get on AM !!

3) Give special recognition for funny, unusual or unique situations, operations or equipment.  The most hum, the least efficient weight to output, the most FM, etc. etc. etc.

Anyway, those are few suggestions from here.  I'm happy to help administrate if needed.

Regards,

Steve

The winner, obviously, ought to be the guy that works N4VMY.  You'd REALLY need to strap to make that contact  ;D

In all seriousness anything that gets more big iron - class E, old BC rigs, military, HB - is good.  Even better if it gets Todd off his dead ass to get an antenner up.

-yeah, I was going to make a comment about the 'silent key night' idea, but thought it might be in bad taste.  It might have been a subconscience thought after all the 'VMY' chatter.  Guess I'll have to live with this one.  ...right up there with 'How dry I am.'   

So Happy New Year to all you JN"s out there in our radio world and all the alternates.   May our keys resound forever. Actually I do like the idea of modulated CW using recordings of old spark rigs.

..and Todd can modulate his landline outreach conductor.  Why use a Maxwellian antenna when just the thought counts?  I mean technically if you can get a match you can load up anything.  :o