“Storm Watch”
Newsletter of NZ1U – The
Barnstormers Contest Group
“The Barnstormers News” Volume 8 No.4,
October 6,2003
It’s been a Long time….
It seems unbelievable that I haven’t done a “Storm Watch” since April but that’s the true fact of it. I suspect like all of you, the summer zoomed by and not without happenings.
Well
here we are less than three weeks away from the CQWW SSB contest and I have
been doing some real soul searching the last few days. Most of you have seen my
email letting you all know that the contesting in at least the first two
contests from KB1H has been in question. I wanted to give everyone as much
notice as possible so alternative operating plans could be made.
The
decision still has not been made for sure. What’s the problem? Actually there
are two major areas I am mulling over. First and the most important is the well
being of our group. I guess like an old marriage, P&Ming goes on and at
times it can lead to major flare-ups. Things like this really take the fun out
of contesting. I think the major problem can all be boiled down to the fact
that some of us are overworked with the long list of things to do. There has
been less load sharing this year than any other year that I can remember. There
are many things that only one of us has the talent to do but there is plenty
that can be done by most. The one exception has been the tower work. We have
gotten “on the tower” help each time we asked until we were finished most of
the repairs. Besides Dave, KE1LI and N1ROZ helped when I got hurt.
I
also realize this has been a tough year for some. Health, family problems, home
projects, even passing of relatives.
I
really think we have to all step back and look and see if what we are assuming
the other guy will do, or the other guy can do if you ask is something that you
can really do yourself. Anything from housekeeping, to knocking down brush, to
setting up stations. I also believe we need to plan a little better for the
contest weekends. We spend too much time running around for meals, drinks, and
last minute parts. This turns an operating event to a hospitality marathon. I
know that this is my responsibility as the host but I would like to get some
time in the seat and I don’t mean my car seat!
The
commitment to getting ready for the contest also needs to be cranked up. Year
in, year out, we are fixing setup problems the Friday afternoon of the contest.
I take double blood pressure medicine those days. Why can’t we be ready sooner
and the week before CQWW SSB only be testing all the stations in the Work All
Germany contest.
Someone
has said we make allot of lists, take allot of time to do so, talk allot about
the lists, and then barely do anything. Yes, we make list. Yes, we talk about
them. But, you have to have the lists. What we
have to do it finish the list. Commit to pitching in and attacking the list.
As
much as some of you hate to see the list I want to include it here. This is the
second area that has me undecided on whether to run the first two contests.
Take a look at the darn thing. There are many, many items that do not require
climbing a tower, do not need a computer wizard. What it needs is for you to
say to yourself I want to contribute to the team effort. One day, a few days,
anytime that you can spare. I guarantee that I can find enough time to get you
started and probably Kim would be here as well if he knows you are coming. We
have allot of equipment that requires much more upkeep than the single op, one
tower, one station, one antenna installation.
Have
we run out of steam? Are not enough operators interested any longer? Should I
scale back and just do single op or guest op operations? I hope none of this is
true. I enjoy all your company and don’t want it to end. What do you guys want?
Look
at this list with only two weekends to finish:
Station
#1
Upgrade all software
Test Beverage
Check all equipment grounding
Test all equipment
Station
#2
Same as Station #1
Station
#3
Build new VSWR Amp protection box.
Ground all equipment
Needs keyer
Which rig?
Interconnect equipment – probably need
to make up jumpers
Upgrade software
Test all equipment
Check all grounding
Footswitch
Station
#4
Build VSWR Amp Protection box
Build PC and install software
Ground equipment
Install DVP
Interconnecting cables
Install amp
Connect network
Install Low Pass Filter
Rig?
Install and test Top Ten Decoder and
Dunestar filter
Keyer
Paddle
Footswitch
Test all equipment
General
Rework 160/80 Meter Switch Board
Rework 40-10 Meter Switch Board
Repair 40 Meter Comtek cable
New cables and torroids on Packet
station
Torroids all around including phones
in the house
Get port to ECT KA-Node running
M2 Rotor control tested with prop
pitch
Move woodstove
Webcam
IP/Routing for Station #6 (next to the
TV)
VHF station for monitoring with CT
during the contest.
MFJ Dummy load needed for emergency
testing
Get some RCA jumpers at radio Shack
Clean!
Outside
Work
Clear beverage run
Make beverage switching
New E-W beverage
Repackage dummy load on 80M 4-Square
Finish “The Dallas”
Tie up cable runs onto new telephone
pole
Can
you believe this list? If you want to have a good effort then we need to attack
many items here. If you want a half-arsed effort ignore them. I want to be
proud of our score. If we can’t be then maybe we need to take a breather.
I
hope you see where I am coming from and understand my point. This has to be fun
or it’s just not worth it.
We
got two weeks to show that we are not growing stale or not interested anymore.
Show all the others and me that we are committed and I am ready to go on and
kick some butt.
I
apologize for such a down attitude “Storm Watch” but it has to be said and
dealt with.
Give
me a call, email me, just show the heck up the next two weekends if all this
means anything to you.
73,
Dick