Heavy Metal Rally and Year End Celebration of AM, 1x1 Callsigns

[W3SLK]

Steve said:

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

Wooo hoooo! CQ contest, CQ contest, CQ contest!!!!

[W3SLK]

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

[KL7OF]

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

[KA7WOC]

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

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

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

COME ON DOWN.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Got WD8BIL and W3JN on 3705 now.

[W3SLK]

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.

[AF9J]

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

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

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!

[KL7OF]

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

[K0ARA]

 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

[KR4WI]

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

[k4kyv]

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.

[Bill, KD0HG]

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

[steve_qix]

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

[The Slab Bacon]

"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

[W9GT]

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

[steve_qix]

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!

[The Slab Bacon]

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

[The Slab Bacon]

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!

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

[WA1GFZ]

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

[Bill, KD0HG]

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.

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?

[W3RSW]

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  . 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  ), 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

[steve_qix]

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!

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

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 

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    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

[W2VW]

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.


W8R, Rick

You are REALLY getting out well if you worked N4VMY.