The "Die Hard" DX'er...

[AB7RG]

<center>The "Die Hard" DX'er…</center>
By: Clinton Herbert -- AB7RG.[b]

5:00 AM - Fellow DX'ers arrive. Crawl out of nice warm bed.

5:30 AM - Toss all gear into truck.

5:45 AM - Get gear out of neighbors truck, and put it in own truck.

6:00 AM - Get speeding ticket while hurrying to get to the mountains.

7:15 AM - Get to "The Site", near top of mountain.

7:16 AM - Start unloading gear.

7:20 AM - Get poked in eye with 20M vertical by fellow DX'er.

7:50 AM - Arrive at hospital to get eye patched up.

8:30 AM - Get another speeding ticket while heading up to mountains.

8:45 AM - Arrive back at site. Unload antennas alone this time.

9:45 AM - Hike up to mountain top. Pass out from exhaustion.

9:50 AM - Wake up to smelling salt, and laughter from fellow DX'ers.

10:00 AM - Put up antennas, and set up rigs.

10:15 AM - Fire up rig, call CQ for half an hour; no replies.

10:46 AM - Hook up coax to rig...

10:48 AM - Realize that finals are wasted in main rig.

10:50 AM - Hook up back-up rig, this time with coax.

11:00 AM - Yell CQ, rare P5 comes back; antenna falls down...

11:15 AM - Wake up to smelling salt, fellow DX'ers shaking heads.

11:30 AM - Guy antennas.

12:05 PM - See long list of QSO's made by fellow DX'ers.

12:06 PM - Notice rare P5 in logbook.

12:07 PM - Beat fellow DX'er over head with logbook.

12:09 PM - Restrained by rest of DXpedition team.

12:30 PM - Back to rig for another attempt.

12:35 PM - Nearby lightning strike kills receive. Notice wet pants...

12:36 PM - Look for shelter.

12:38 PM - Find cave!

12:41 PM - Watch antenna get struck by lightning while hiding in cave.

12:42 PM - Wish it was fellow DX'er's antenna, or fellow DX'er that was struck...

12:45 PM - Realize not alone in cave...

12:46 PM - Pick up really big rock...

12:47 PM - Mauled by large angry bear.

12:50 PM - Get pulled out of cave by fellow DX'ers.

1:05 PM - Finally get talked into receiving medical treatment.

1:30 PM - Arrive back at hospital.

1:55 PM - Receive series of painful rabies shots, and multiple stitches.

2:30 PM - Get out of hospital and return home.

2:35 PM - "Explain" stitches and eye patch to wife.

3:00 PM - Realize gear is still up on mountain, with bear.

3:01 PM - Wish fellow DX'ers were still up on mountain, with bear...

3:03 PM - Consider taking up drinking.

7:00 PM - Get phone call from DX'er buddies.

7:05 PM - Agree to go on DXpedition again tomorrow...



73 Clinton [b]AB7RG

[n5xm]

Holy Cow...I guess hogging one whole website wasn't enough. I'm only kidding...I think. #Man, you have waaay too much time on your hands.

[N3BIF]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif # now this is what we all need, more humor !

[KA8FFM]

Very funny, I hoe you do not try target shooting as a hobby...Vince KA8FFM

[n6mai]

I love it! As wayne Green says, "Never Say Die". Now if that story didn't sound so familiar..... hmmmm......

[km5yl]

Loved it!!! Sure this wasn't field day? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Hope you don't take up archery either!.

Tnx for the laugh,
Carolyn
KM5YL

[w4kp]

I love it. #Sounds so much like some of my adventures that I thought you had read my logbook.
Now that is the way to take DX seriously!

Thanks for the laugh!

W4KP

[ag4hy]

Clinton ab7rg;
do you fish? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif on second thought, maybe better not..
ag4hy http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[K9TOY]

A real nice story for a change!
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # 73's de K9TOY http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[WB2GOF]

Waaay too much time on your hands!! You & your wife should have kids....that will set your priorities straight!

[KF4BOT]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (WB2GOF @ Feb. 23 2002,19:56)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Waaay too much time on your hands!! #You & your wife should have kids....that will set your priorities straight![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Can't some of you guys tell a good tongue-in-cheek post when you read it? This is good solid humor. The only thing the author is guilty of is having a wild imagination. Way to go, Clinton! This one had me in stitches. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[KG4DMM]

Good post.

However, I am posting this with a question. I am a qrz.com member, but the site will not allow me to post to the "Ham Radio News" Forum. How do I do this? Is there a way to get permission to post to this forum?

Anyway, what I want to post are the results of some extensive antenna testing I have been conducting for my senior research project. The site is:
http://www.tjhsst.edu/~bmyhre/Paper.htm

73,
Brian, KG4DMM

[VK6EN]

Be real... with all those accidents he must have a dozen kids
he he he

Which reminds me of a joke.

This guy decides to take up bear hunting lets say he's a bored dentist. he goes to the gun shop and asks what he needs and the salesman suggests a suitable gun. He goes out into the mountains and sees a bear. He takes aim and shoots.... looks up and the bears gone. Next he hears some twigs crack behind him, he spins around and its one very annoyed bear. Well the bear slaps him around and warns him never to do it again. Shaken but not put off our dentist goes back to the gun shop and asks for a bigger gun. He goes back to the same place and takes another shot at the bear. The same thing happens when he looks up the bear is nowhere to be seen. He hears another noise behind him and sure enough its the bear which this time really roughs him up and it gives him another warning. He goes staight back to the gun shop explaining what happened. The salesman looks at the dentist with his torn and blood stained clothing and the a crazed look in his eye and say's to him "I think I've got just what you need" he reaches under the counter and pulls out a rocket launcher and says "You didn't get this from here OK". Well our intrepid dentist immediatly hot foots it back to where he last saw the bear and sure enough its still there. He aims ... fires and you guessed it no bear to be seen anywhere. Except behind him one very angry bear at full gallop slams the dentist to the ground rips off all his clothes and proceeds to roger our poor dentist. Half way though this ordeal the bear say's "You not in this for the hunting are you ?"
boom boom
apologies to dentists

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Oh and I do have kids (and yes they have a sense of humour too)
Rgds

[w3nrl]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif clinton;
# #sounds like some of my hunting trips of the past..
#you must of had great fun or imagination.. whatever thanks for the laugh http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif loved it, we need more humor these days!!!!
thanks again
#w3nrl

[W3GEO]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (AB7RG @ Feb. 22 2002,02:15)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"><center>The "Die Hard" DX'er…</center>
By: Clinton Herbert -- AB7RG.[b]

5http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif0 AM - Fellow DX'ers arrive. Crawl out of nice warm bed.

5:30 AM - Toss all gear into truck.

5:45 AM - Get gear out of neighbors truck, and put it in own truck.

6http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif0 AM - Get speeding ticket while hurrying to get to the mountains.

7:15 AM - Get to "The Site", near top of mountain.

7:16 AM - Start unloading gear.

7:20 AM - Get poked in eye with 20M vertical by fellow DX'er.

7:50 AM - Arrive at hospital to get eye patched up.

8:30 AM - Get another speeding ticket while heading up to mountains.

8:45 AM - Arrive back at site. Unload antennas alone this time.

9:45 AM - Hike up to mountain top. Pass out from exhaustion.

9:50 AM - Wake up to smelling salt, and laughter from fellow DX'ers.

10http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif0 AM - Put up antennas, and set up rigs.

10:15 AM - Fire up rig, call CQ for half an hour; no replies.

10:46 AM - Hook up coax to rig...

10:48 AM - Realize that finals are wasted in main rig.

10:50 AM - Hook up back-up rig, this time with coax.

11http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif0 AM - Yell CQ, rare P5 comes back; antenna falls down...

11:15 AM - Wake up to smelling salt, fellow DX'ers shaking heads.

11:30 AM - Guy antennas.

12http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif5 PM - See long list of QSO's made by fellow DX'ers.

12http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif6 PM - Notice rare P5 in logbook.

12http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif7 PM - Beat fellow DX'er over head with logbook.

12http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif9 PM - Restrained by rest of DXpedition team.

12:30 PM - Back to rig for another attempt.

12:35 PM - Nearby lightning strike kills receive. Notice wet pants...

12:36 PM - Look for shelter.

12:38 PM - Find cave!

12:41 PM - Watch antenna get struck by lightning while hiding in cave.

12:42 PM - Wish it was fellow DX'er's antenna, or fellow DX'er that was struck...

12:45 PM - Realize not alone in cave...

12:46 PM - Pick up really big rock...

12:47 PM - Mauled by large angry bear.

12:50 PM - Get pulled out of cave by fellow DX'ers.

1http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif5 PM - Finally get talked into receiving medical treatment.

1:30 PM - Arrive back at hospital.

1:55 PM - Receive series of painful rabies shots, and multiple stitches.

2:30 PM - Get out of hospital and return home.

2:35 PM - "Explain" stitches and eye patch to wife.

3http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif0 PM - Realize gear is still up on mountain, with bear.

3http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif1 PM - Wish fellow DX'ers were still up on mountain, with bear...

3http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif3 PM - Consider taking up drinking.

7http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif0 PM - Get phone call from DX'er buddies.

7http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif5 PM - Agree to go on DXpedition again tomorrow...



73 Clinton [b]AB7RG


[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Never had all of that happen but in 1969 several of us VHF contest operators set up what we thought was the ultimate station for the June ARRL VHF qso party that year.
We had the highest location in the county and an abandoned microwave relay tower we could use to mount the antennas. Almost a KW on 6 and 2, and 50 or so watts on 220 and 432. # We were using a Clegg Venus and Apollo amp on 6 with an IntercepterB receiver as a second receiver being switched in and out via a Dow Key relay (remember them?) #

We had a very new ham with us who had just got his General and was a "fountain of knowledge" and wanted to operate 6. We had some problems with the relay and ended up using the Venus barefoot. Our new ham had the 2 am to 5 am shift and decided that he needed more power. Somehow he had rigged the Venus / Apollo combination so that when he tried to transmit, the full output was being delivered to the InterceptorB input. (full power for a very short time I migh add) #He came into my tent to tell me
that he could not hear anything and would I please fix it. Fortunately we were able to continue to use the Venus barefoot. I always wondered whar Ed Clegg thought when he serviced the Interceptor B #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[KG4OHE]

Thoroughly Enjoyed your post and could see something similar happening to me as well.

Thanks for the bright spot!

de KG4OHE - Bill

[W5KRM]

Clint,

Were you on Faulty Towers ? Just kidding.
You could add some additional one liners:

1. Wake up at 2AM
2. Head to shack, trip over cat and fall down the stairs.
3. Wake up XYL thinking you are a burglar.
4. Police arrive at 2:15AM, you dispatch them with much apology.
5. Turn on radio and listen to the scheduled rare DX to show up.
6. S-9 Line noise due to neighbor's Christmas lights, or maybe your own.
7. DSP takes out most noise, along with weak signals.
8. Doze off to awaken with your head against the iambic key, dit-dahing away.
9. Tune around.
10. Find DX at 4AM
11. Call and call, yelling out last two (ROMEO GULF...ROMEO GULF)
12. Infant daughter wakes up crying.
13. XYL chastizes you more, threatens to divorce you.
14. Finally log DX at 4:35AM
15. Crawl back into bed, watching out for cat.
16. Wake up at 5:30 for work. Feel like you never went to bed.
17. Check on infant daughter who is awake. First words are ROMEO GULF.
18 Explain to XYL what ROMEO GULF is.
19. Go to work, barely able to function.
20. Drive home, but don't remember how you got there.
21. Say hello to XYL as you come in door, with flowers to make up.
22. Infant daughter in high chair spurts out ROMEO GULF.
23. XYL gives you dirty looks.
24. Go out to dinner. Daughter continues to babble ROMEO GULF.
25. Mother in law visits next day and asks who ROMEO GULF is.


Just a thought !

CU
CHRIS
Been there, done that, but don't have the shirt.

[n7vr]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Clinton,
I have had these experiances. Thanks for the humor.

Jim
N7VMR
MT SEC

[jxs2151]

Top Ten Ways to Tell if the Dx Station is Working Split

You have thrown your callsign to him 42 times now with no response even though you have a 7 element yagi at 200 ft. and 1500 watts

For some reason you hear a *lot* of activity 5Khz up from the Dx station

Other hams are returning your call with a single word: "split!" I wonder what they mean?

The DxCluster says something about split up. Are they talking about Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman?

The Dx station mentions something about listening 7 up. Is he talking about the soda?

You are the only one calling him on the frequency he is calling on

You hear nothing on the frequency the Dx station is on but mysteriously he is giving lots of signal reports


Ok, I only got seven. Help?

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[VK6EN]

8. You hear a guy who's seems to mc'ing a party say "call nowW6xx" except he's in India and I'm sure he said something about ZK0xx in Antartica
9.Everyone's signal is coming thru 5x9 except the rare DX
10. Fiddle with every radio knob, check VSWR, adjust PBT, Notch, select wide filter, select narow, MC says skip failing call now. Everything goes silent, dream about bigger antenna and bigger amp.

[kd5jex]

Being in the field doesn't stop me from DX'ing.......

#NTC (National Training Center, Ft. Irwin, CA) I brought all my gear, and used an OE-254 mast for my cheapie Solar Con 10m antenna. # Soon we found ourselves in a fire-fight, however due to a logistical error, we had no ammunition and thus we considered ourselves "dead" at that point.

#In the midst of "bullets" flying and mortars firing, and incoming biological missles, and #helicopters loitering; everyone could pick out that one sound from the battlefield that didn't belong there: #"QSL there, and 73's to ya".

[vk2ir]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif #Great story,keep it up as we need more good stories like that hi.

TOMMY VK2IR

[kc2irv]

Now that sounds like some follies I have had, I love it!

[KC8SBX]

Holey Moley! I hope I NEVER have a DX-pedition like that!!

73's, de KC8SBX

[VE1IDX]

Found this on the web a while ago and some of you may have seen it before but here it is again. Remember this the next time you do any work on the tower.



Dear Ms. Jones
Patsy Insurance Co.
Wata'ohoh, HI 96999-0101

I am writing in response to your request for additional information for Block 3 of the Accident Report Form (ARF) I submitted to you on April 1, 1997. I put "poor planning" as the cause for the accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more fully. I trust the following detail will be sufficient.
I am an Amateur Radio operator and on the day of the accident, I was working alone on the top section of my new 80 foot tower. When I had completed my work, I discovered that I had, over the course of several trips up the tower, brought up about 300 pounds of tools and spare hardware. Rather than carry the now unneeded tools and material down by hand, I decided to lower the items down in a small barrel by using a pulley, which was fortunately attached to the gin pole at the top of the tower.
Securing the rope at ground level, I went back to the top of the tower and loaded the tools and material into the barrel. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow decent of the 300 pounds of tools.
You will note in Block 11 of the Accident Report Form that I weigh only 155 pounds. Due to my suprise of being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope.
Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate of speed up the side of the tower. In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming down. This explains my fractured skull and broken collarbone. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately, by this time I had regained my presence of mind and in spite of my pain, I was able to hold on to the rope. At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of tools hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the tools, the barrel now weighed approximately 20 pounds. I refer you again to my weight, shown in Block 11 of my submission.
As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the tower. In the vicinity of the 40 foot level, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, and the lacerations of my legs and lower body.
The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of tools and, fortunately, only 3 vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the tools, in pain, unable to stand and watching the empty barrel 80 feet above me, I again lost my presence of mind and let go of the rope . . . . .
Sincerely,
Andy Clark, WA4***
TIARA (Tokyo International Radio Association)

73's all

[yc7vcw]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

If he had the third gear, the mountain will fall upon him...