“To Be, or
Not…”
-or-
Semi-proof
that I do indeed exist.
Rumor is a horrible thing.
- Rumor has it: I was sighted at FDIM
2001. (I’m not saying I was or wasn’t,
you’ll have to ask Phil WB8ABE, FP-61 or perhaps the cleaning lady who allegedly
helped me out of that dumpster.)
- Rumor has it: I was or have been
abducted by aliens. (I will neither
confirm nor deny this allegation, ask Jo K5HOY, FP-325, if anyone knows, she
does.)
- Rumor has it: Diz W8DIZ, FP-1 and
others fabricated a Multi-Pig #4 with the blessing of the Vatican, and
attributed the hideous effort to me. (Well, the Pope DOES know me.)
- Rumor has it: that Joel KE1LA, FP-190
clandestinely in a depressed, funk-like trance turns his 40 meter tree-wire
beam over the North pole and occasionally checks into the pig nets via long
path using “AF4PS”. (Again, no comment.)
- Rumor has it: I am a NoGA spy. (This one is DEFINATELY a
bald-face lie, but I admit to affiliating with the NoGA QRP Club, AS
a Flying Pig. Note: NoGA QRP Club will not respond to inquiries
regarding this matter.)
- Rumor has it: I never existed at ALL,
that “AF4PS, FP-51” is simply a cruel hoax and FCC conspiracy. (I personally
think it’s all a dastardly, covert effort to keep me from receiving the Flying
Pig 2002 DXCC award Ed W1RFI, FP-400 is so graciously donating.)
Therefore, I’m
submitting this material as some evidence that I do indeed exist, and remain
available to accompany ANY Flying Pig who visits the Tampa Bay area to almost
ANY eating establishment, but ESPECIALLY if it involves barbequed pig or even
cow. So here goes:
#1 - I don’t
want to be a NAME DROPPER or anything, but here in the first picture I (the one
with the tie and glasses) am having breakfast with two of the absolute BEST
contest ops out there: K4FB Paul,
FP-124 (green shirt) and Jim N0UR, FP-448 (blue shirt). These guys are consistent top-ten finishers
in the ARRL contests. You’ll find their
calls printed in QST results, as well as the top QRP Fox hunt tallies. Paul heard we were having breakfast and
just showed up. Jim came to town on vacation from the cold northern regions of
Minnesota, where neither sleet, snow, rain, ice, nor dead of night keeps him
from working for the Post Office. (Why
is it that people who come to FL to visit me, even if they are from MN, are
already better tanned than me?) Fred
W2XN, FP-126 is taking the pic. (We stole his bacon while he was up and
distracted by the camera.) Jack K4BYF, FP-191 wasn’t able to attend, but we
saved a seat for him. It was worth the trip just to see Jim try to eat grits,
plus somebody, I think it was Fred, BOUGHT MY BREAKFAST!!!!
This next
picture catches Jim just prior to his first taste of grits.
#2 - Mikey
WB8ICN, FP-68 is simply one of the nicest guys I ever met. You may have worked
him as one of our Flying Pig Net Controls, or fell asleep in his room at
FDIM. Mikey came to Tampa to actually
work. He installs and repairs lasers,
and get this… HE BOUGHT BREAKFAST!!!! So the LEAST I could do was wear his
hat. We talked the waitress into taking
the pic (JUST a picture, HONEST Mary Beth!)
Tragically,
after the waitress incident, Mary Beth made Mikey shave his beard!
Mikey and Mary
Beth are headed this way in September to catch a cruise ship out of Tampa. Geeze, I may have to buy this time…
nahhhhhh!
#3 - OK, this
next set is the highlight, but at the same time the lamest evidence. Our own Pappa Pig #1, W8DIZ Diz and
phenomenal wife Nancy came to FL for a family visit. (I think Nancy had Diz condo shopping.) Diz had visited previously to show me the prototype of the
Multi-Pig rig. He brought it to my
house, hooked it up to my (then) not-so-stealth G5RV and we BOTH worked the Fox
with one call each! We met at a
barbeque restaurant and Nancy took this picture. (I can’t find the one with
BOTH of us in the picture, NOR the one with the pig sign in the background. I think Diz, understandably, destroyed the
one with him standing next to me, both in pig shirts.) Diz is the handsome guy on the left. (Note:
I stole this picture capturing a MUCH younger likeness than I witnessed from
his website.) Also… just so you don’t
miss the pattern of this evidence… DIZ BOUGHT MY LUNCH!!!!
Well, there
you have it, but if you are STILL not convinced, I would certainly welcome
further opportunities to prove my existence, and proffer a standing invitation
to any Flying Pig (even BRIAN KB9BVN FP-57) to visit the Tampa Bay area (but
PLEASE don’t offer to straighten out our electoral process) and take me to
breakfast, lunch or dinner.
oo
-MAC-
AF4PS
Odessa, FL
FP-51