LOVE CONTESTING ....BUT GET TURNED OFF BY THIS.................

Hello Everyone,

Finally figured out how to get back into this account!

As a HUGE fan and supporter of Ham Radio Contesting, both domestic AND World Wide Contesting.... I say enough how this weekend "sport" has evolved.

What hasn't evolved is some operators who feel compelled or even "DRIVEN" to have to post or remark ALL the DAMN things that got "in their way" of putting together something less than even a stellar score.

Now, before you cue that email up to me to call me all sorts of names, here me out.

Every contact counts! Especially, in the club category AND the clubs are grateful for every contact....however, When a contester post 50 QSOs or 80 QSOs or even 300 QSOs in a 24 or even 48 hour contest, I am not interested to know how many grandchildren, parties, relatives, visitors etc got in the way. In fact, I am sure NO ONE does! In fact, this takes up time so I can read the stuff I really want to hear about like how many 6 band QSO, or propagation observations, or best call in etc.....
Of course post your Rig, antennas, SO2R or not....and all the receiving antennas etc.....
LOVE IT!..... but keep the comments about how you only had 2 to 4 hours with your butt in the seat. SPARE ME....

Bottom line is you either did not have your butt in the seat long enough or you stink at contesting.

Perhaps I have found the answer..... These hams MAY be smarter than I think ...LOL.....
By telling us ALLLLLL the darn things that got in the way of them winning the contest..... They choose to tell us they really don't suck....but 'other things' got in the way... Hi Hi...THAT IS IT!!!!

NOT....

Contesting is a CHOICE and if you choose to contest for 1 QSO or 10,0000 go get em Tiger....but .. Keep the excuses out of it. Instead....

Have a goal... LQQk at the last time you were in a specific contest and set a goal to get better or improve.... ASK for help if you want to get better ..... Update your shack, add an antenna, put up a receiving array, build a VE3DO loop antenna, optimize your contesting Macros, LEARN SO2R.....
ALL of these things can add huge improvements to your score, your contribution to your local club, and overall satisfaction......

But keep the excuses for just submitting a few QSOs to yourself.... Most do not want to hear it!

Until next time!

73 and See you in the pileup!

Jose
N4BAA

Tower Update July 2019

After a LOT of wind this spring and a total lack of assistance from anyone, my son and I have finally finished the 128 foot 1/4 wave full size vertical made from Rohn 25G!!! Just awesome!....

Tower #2 is now going up! This will be Rohn 55G and the design has changed to be able to support 6M through 40 Meters until Towers # 3 and #4 get done .

Tower #2 will have the following on it:

2L40 Moxon at 135 feet
9L6 on 49 foot boom at 127 feet
5L20 on 48 foot boom at 121 feet
4L17/4L12 at 101 feet
C31XR at 91 feet
5L10 on 36 foot boom at 71 feet South
5L20 on 48 foot boom at 61 feet
5L15 on 36 foot boom at 45 feet
5L10 on 36 foot boom at 31 feet West

10, 15, and 20 meter yagis will be fed with an Array Solutions Stack Match for power splitting and phasing.

This tower layout will change when the next tower goes up most notably to support stacking 2L40 Moxons at 135 and 70 feet.

Hope to have tower done in 2 weeks and then populate the antennas just after that.
Yagis (except fixed ones) will be on TIC ring rotors...and the top 3 antennas (40 Moxon, 9L6 and 5L20) will be turned with a Prosistel rotor!

Looking forward to it!
WIll update soon!

BAA

N4BAA Activity Back!!! I am now in NINE (9) land!!!!

Hello and Happy ALMOST Spring Blog Fans!!!

Finally have things settled after my move to Indiana!! (Yes, 9 land)!!
As I reflect on my Ham career... having started in Florida...then VA... then MA...then PA...and now IN.... that is 42 years of hamming ALL around! This doesn't account for operating as YI9BAA, VP5BAX, N4BAA/9K2 etc..... WOW

VERY happy to be here in where they call the "Black hole"!!!! Can be at times.

Have towers in concrete and waiting on weather to finish!

Tower #1 -  135 feet of Rohn 55G
20M will be 6 over 6 SIX element yagis on 48 foot booms
15M will be 6 over 6 on 36 foot booms
10M will be 7 over 5 over 5 (bottom 2 fixed on EU and the top rotates)
C31-XR will also be on this tower
9L6 at 130 feet as well for F2

Tower #2 - Full size 160m vertical. 128 feet of insulated (series fed) Rohn 25G
10,000 feet of radials under this tower buried 6 inches under ground.

80M four square around this tower as well with another 20,000 feet of radials!!!!

Tower #3 - 150 feet of Rohn 55G
10M 8 over 8 over 8 over 8 on 48 foot booms
40M 4L full size at 150 feet

Tower #4 90 feet of Rohn 55G
30M Full size 3L
15M 7 over 7 on 48 foot booms
6M 9 over 9 on 49 foot booms

For Receiving will have 6 580 foot beverages and my
Hi-Z 4 square and 8 Circle array and a new SAL-30.

Can't wait for contest 2019 Fall Contest season.

I have also recently completed construction of my new Ham Shack in my pole barn.
It is 24 feet x 20 feet and is OH SO NICE!

Now just have to decorate walls!!!

Now that everyone knows I am in Indiana and Blog is back! Let me know what you want to hear me speak about. I am not short of substance; however, would love to cater to what YOU want me to RANT about!

73, God Bless and Grow your Towers T A L L!!!

Jose

Mr. DX!!