Young Hams W.A.S.

As I began to work the weekend's ARRL Sweepstakes CW contest and realized that I would be competing against myself, striving for a better score, I had a different thought. Some young person (one who has yet to get Worked All States) would have a great weekend during this contest. Work All States in one weekend (something many of us take for granted). Now, having that thought in my head for nearly a week, I would like to encourage some of my contesting brethren to try to find a young ham in your area that would like to do such a thing. I would like to make my place available to a young ham within 100 miles of the Kansas City area for the ARRL SSB Sweepstakes contest weekend (Saturday, Sunday). Anyone interested (25 years old or younger) Apply to my EMail address and I will inform you if you're the lucky winner. I hope others will join in the open, inviting, Elmering that once was the norm.

UPDATE!!!! I received ZERO calls, Emails or other requests. Are there any hams younger than 25? I originally thought 25 was too old but considered our Kansas City population and raised the bar. I know the WWYoung Hams have a nice group. But my sense of reality is that I better enjoy the frinedships I have because there are very few young hams. I'm not just another old grouchy man.. but sometimes I feel like one.

 

Great post! It is very true. I am 17 yr old General who is 10 states away from my 20m WAS so I will be working the sweepstakes hard for those states. Even though you already have WAS or such it would still be nice to have all the states active. I really hope Maine, and Delaware are on. Hope to hear you all next weekend.

Jesse KD7OVP
Edmonds, WA

 

Hi all. I am a 14 yr. old extra; I do not work the SS. I have about 45 states and am not iterested in domestic stuff. I do most of my operating from my elmers station. He has a big station and a couple HUMUNGO antennas. I wholeheartedly reccomend any one with a small antenna and big contesting dreams to invite themselves to spend the weekend at a decent station in the area.

73! Caleb KD7RDY

 

Unfortunately WAS requires confirmation of the QSO with a valid signal report. Sweepstakes is not a contest that signal reports are part of the exchange. Unless you indicate to the station being worked that you are going after WAS and have a valid exchange of signal reports I think that credit may be denied for WAS as the signal report is not part of the exchange and therefore it would be hard to confirm the QSO with signal report information not present on the qsl card. Many contest have signal report exchanges as part of the contest such as the major DX contest. No telling why Sweepstakes was set up the way it was but I think based on lack of signal report exchanges, confirmation of QSO's without a valid exchange of signal reports may be difficult. Good luck with WAS, WAC and DXCC. Chasing paper and awards has kept me interested in the hobby for 27 years. I look forward to the next 27 + years ahead.

Mark - KI4VB

 

ARRL website says "No signal report is required," for WAS. Written confirmation is needed.

Besides, during most high-rate contests, 99 percent of the contacts are reported 5/9 and 599. Is it right? Too deep for me.

Use those SS QSLs for WAS. AE9B is always good for a QSL, too. Thanks, Tom.

 

Interesting string...

I really enjoy this contest for just the reason y'all are discussing; if you're looking for WAS, it's like just ordering off a menu:

"Yes, I'll have an order of West Virginia with a side of Vermont, please."

I used the contest last year to mop up a few I needed for WAS/QRP.  It's not that working KS or IA is hard; it was just a matter of opportunity.  

But the signal issue is interesting.

It has been pointed out that, "WAS requires confirmation of the QSO with a valid signal report."  In reply, someone else wrote, "ARRL website says 'No signal report is required,' for WAS."

Actually, what the ARRL rules say is "[t]here is no minimum signal report required."  The lawyer in me thinks this implies that a signal report of some kind is required, but even a 1x1 is acceptable.

But, ultimately, this is probably an academic question.  If you QSL a contester in this contest, the card is going to have a 59 on it.  Further, if you ask for a report, the contester, if he has any manners at all (and some hard core contesters don't, to be sure), he will give you one.

So, lookin' for WAS?  Knock yourself out.  50 states in a weekend is not that hard.  Fun, too.

Peter, N4LI
Memphis

 

The lawyer in me takes that minimal report as meaning that any kind of written confirmation, means a minmum of 1x1.  I have known several who used QSLs stemming from SS for documentation.  Also, the complex nature of the SS exchange means much more than RS-T.  Completing the exchange IS the signal report.

Also, for several years running, I had Techs from the Field Day club come over and particpate in Phone SS. I'm not really interested in phone operations, but the get together was tons of fun. I've always thought that public displays during SS and state QSO parties would be a great means of promoting Amatier Radio, especially when CW is involved.

The general public dismisses microphones as CB. They dismiss Data modes as wireless internet. But when they hear those sidetones, and see an operator using a key in real life... Try it and see what happens!

Excellent post, by the way!

!!
!!

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (N8CPA @ Nov. 08 2003,10:15)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The general public dismisses microphones as CB.  They dismiss Data modes as wireless internet.  But when they hear those sidetones, and see an operator using a key in real life...  Try it and see what happens![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
The public? Heck, that's the way CW makes me feel. Catching a glimpse of the ol' Speed-X getting ready for work in the morning makes me want to call in sick and pound it all day.


AE9B: I think we're all in agreement. Great post, great attitude!

 

The World-Wide Young Contesters group (www.wwyc.net) is a great on-line "club" for those of you under 30 (not me).  It's an excellent place to meet other contesters without having to deal with all of us baby boomers  There are lots of members and articles - go for it!

WAS is a great way to get started in awards chasing.  SS is also an excellent way to start on your 5BWAS, too!  It takes some doin', but that plaque looks mighty good on your wall. Even better for 5BWAS are the North American QSO Parties (www.ncjweb.com) in January and August.  You can work stations on 160-10, it's low-power only, runs for 12-hours and stations hop from band to band a LOT. One of the best contests around.

73, Ward N0AX

 

While I could not get any takers for the ARRL SSB SS contest weekend

I was able to put together a team of 6 for the CQ WW DX CW weekend. This should be 48 hours of fun We will have 3 "Old Timers" and three newbies on the team. "Elmering" is great no matter what contest or how you get it done.

This station will be on during the ARRL SSB Contest as a single operator station from Montana. This station will be a Multi Operator Station form area 4 in the CQ DX WW CW contest. I hope to meet many new friends


Jim Fuller
N7VMR

 

AE9B great post !

I welcome anyone (Young and Old) that would like to work from my station during contest.

Fact is I can not get much intrests
for ops to come,  why I don't know......

maybe the 20 minute drive from town is not worth operating at a station that can go with the best
even though we are a little pistol compared to some of the big guns

a tribander at 100 feet

a 40 meter beam at 40 feet on a rorating tower
and now we are adding a 20 meter 5 element Telerex monobander and a 40 meter 3 ele telerex both at over 80 feet

shack is modest with an Icom xcver 746 and a qro tech amp

wire antennas as well for 40 meters and lower in freq

anyone that lives in the tri-sate (Ark-La-Tex) is welcome
for any contest we operate (ARRL SS Phone, CQ ww SSB and ARRL Dx contest phone as well)

If I could get enough ops I would add two radios and amps and do multi multi ( I have the room just no one is interested)

If you are interested send me an email   KG5VK@LottsPhoto.com

Still time as of today for someone to pipe up for arrl ss phone as I am planning a single op for it unless some one shouts out the ss phone is 15 Nov week-end


73  steve

 

Hey, i am sixteen here, in the uk, and really want to do my morse now, as u can see, i belive ham radio is appealing to some young people now

Dan
M3SOA

 

I would love for someone to contact me with the same offer. I'm fairly well known in contesting circles as a decent SSB & CW operator. However, at college, I haven't been able to dedicate a lot of time to contesting. Heck, all of my equipment is in my room, and the tower is in the yard. I'm really in desparation for a place to operate because I don't want to miss SS. (Even if it means a drive to Kansas City) I'm 20, got started morsing when I was 9. Haven't been real active over the past year or so, but was once 1500 Q+ guy in some contests. Anyone interested give me a shout, please!! Thanks 73, Jason (je_golds@yahoo.com)

 

I'll be on SS from my own station.  My elmers taught me that 'mooching' was good for a while, but to truely enjoy radio, I had to get my own station.  The TH6DXX is being put together.  The tower is going up.  The radio is ready.  The amp... will come.

CQ WW DX (phone) was a blast.  A few contacts here and there, but still a ton of fun.  As for inviting hams over, excellent idea, but I've found a lot are weary of committing to a 12, 24, or 48 hour ordeal.  I really enjoyed working a 6 hour shift with K4IA and W4IM in the VA QSO party (we won for multi op, single transxvr, but they didn't have a plaque for that category.  go figure...) because the commitment was low.  If I didn't like it, I wasn't stuck there all weekend, if I did enjoy it, I could stay a bit longer.

Look locally for some techs and recently upgraded generals.  I'm sure they're interested but not sure how to approach or don't know the option is open to approach you.  I know I'd like to be operating that station instead of my little vertical!  (But... an Icom?  Real DX'ers have Yaesus... hihi... just kidding.  Kind of like Nascar fans arguing over whether fords or chevys are faster ... and then a dodge wins the race).

73 and good dx!  (and lets cross our fingers for some good conditions, too!  some openings on 15 and maybe 10?)
Fred
KG4PZZ

 

I must be an oddball.  I've been using contests for the last couple of years to gather contacts to QSL, but I'm a lot closer to DXCC than WAS.  

The WAE RTTY contest last weekend helped me mop up a few more states, but I'm still better than a dozen away from getting the contacts done, not to mention the QSL.  As for DXCC, through the contests I've got over 100 worked and 56 confirmed.

Contests are great for working on awards, but contesters are not as good as regular DX hunters for returning QSL cards.  Many are great, but a good number of cards go out never to hear a response.  Perhaps LoTW will help with that.