“Storm Watch”

Newsletter of NZ1U – The Barnstormers Contest Group

“The Barnstormers News”                                                            Volume 8 No.3, April 28,2003

 

Total Destruction!!!

 

Don’t get nervous. It isn’t that bad. After the ARRL SSB contest we tore apart the station. As always, the last time was the last time but it has been two years and you know me. “Never say never.” Maybe Chris can send some pictures as he has been documentating the mess with his new digital camera. We may also try to upload to the website.

 

Unfortunately this also put a slight crimp in our plans for WPX SSB but Chris pieced together two stations and operated just about a one-man show to get NZ1U out there. Kim, Mark, - NB1U, and I made a few contacts. Lord knows I have been answering QSLs like crazy.

 

As I have told you, we are constructing a permanent Station #4. This meant ripping down the shelves and pegboard at the top of the stairs. Because some poor soul has to sit next to the stairs now Kim is building a wall and insulating that end of the operating bench. I have gone to K1JCL’s and he cad welded a new grounding bar to Station #3 grounding bar. We hope to make allot of progress in the next few weeks and also with the weather getting better (I hope) we can begin the tower work of which we have plenty. Stay tuned for some please for help.

 

Thanks Again….

 

I want to thank you all again for being part of the KB1H MultiOp station that was recently recognized at the YCCC April meeting. We were the only station to have submitted scores for 24 out of 24 possible contests. It is you guys that make this possible. We have a nice new piece of wood on the wall. We are up to three pieces now, this latest and two won by Chris in Sweepstakes.

 

 

Scores and Competing….

 

We all know that we have had trouble getting full crews together for Multi-Op efforts. Our closest achievement was CQWW CW where we had K1AM, KC1Q, and KM1X helping us out and we almost equaled both K1RX and K1TTT scores. I think we began to show what we could do. With the building of a permanent Station #4 I suspect our dilemma will get even worst. Of course we just don’t want to add operators for the sake of numbers. We have to find those individuals that fit with our group and this means probably that individual has to have a thick skin. It looks as though we will be Multi/Multi in all four major DX contests. This means no hope of winning or maybe even placing well but it does mean maximum points for the YCCC club score.

 

I am beginning to change my philosophy on our competing in contests. As I said above, maximum contribution for the YCCC in the four major contests but what about the others like WPX, WAG, WAE, IARU, and many of the other smaller contests? I believe we should concentrate on these contests and maybe win a few of them. I think we need to not worry some much about an empty seat in CQWW and ARRL but better to have the seats available. I think if we organize for WPX like we do for the other four contests we would have a chance to place very well. So this is my shifting in contesting philosophy. Do the best we can in the four majors. Not worry too much about how we place or how many seats we fill. Concentrate on the smaller contests.

 

 

With that in mind…..

 

The New England QSO Party will take place on May 3-4. We plan on a Multi/Single entry and will be asking for operators. The operating will be done on a sign-up for time basis. There is some off times so stay tune for a message for signing up. I would like to do well in this contest and maybe even win the category. Last year K1TTT was the top Multi/Single.

 

Finally….

 

I started this Storm Watch almost 2 weeks ago and finally getting the time to finish the darn thing. This past weekend was productive on the towers. Dave came and he and I went up the 120 feet to the top of the 15 meter tower. Dave installed mast steps to be able to reach the 6M antenna but as we got to the top the wind started a sustained breeze of 10-15 MPH. Too much to climb up a mast or even handle the 6M antenna if we could get it off the mast.

 

All was not lost though. We removed 2 hardline runs and also one coax run that were used for the old RF packet links. We also removed the Yaesu rotor from the sidearm and before the start of the NASCAR race Dave and Kim found a broken wire inside the rotor housing and had it fixed. We will reinstall the rotor maybe as soon as next weekend.

 

The spare Tailtwister has been sent out for repair and when it returns we will tackle the 10M tower and its problems.

 

Plans are to strip the 40M tower ASAP and Kim is hoping to get the prop pitch base in soon.

 

  

Don’t forget the NEQP this coming weekend and plan on stopping by to help out. If you have a time that you would like to operate please drop me a note so I can plan on operators.

 

73 for now – Dick – KB1H