[amsat-bb] W9VNE response to N5UXT on AO 51

[Jim Danehy]

Angelo  N5UXT

Thank you for writing. I have had quite a few responses direct to me and off 
the AMSAT BB . . . but since your email provided me the opportunity to reply 
to ALL and copy the BB I am using that opportunity . . .the direct responses 
have all been favorable . . . I still do not read AMSAT  BB . . . thanks to 
all who have written direct . . .

 . . . I usually end up operating from some island ( DX Country ) every 
year. . .  this year my operation was from VP5 land and it was all CW a few 
weeks ago . . . I do not operate split frequency  . . .  I am old school and 
I am able to run pile ups at high rates like K5D without telling the callers 
where to go to call . . . I consider (and many of my old school peers  join 
me) spreading stations out over 5khz to 10 khz  a disgrace . . . I hear a DX 
station taking up 5 khz to 10 khz of spectrum which just shows poor 
operating because they can not pick out stations unless they are spread out 
so wide. . .   I usually respond to callers within 1 khz of my operating 
frequency  . . . . infrequently responding to sharp operators who call below 
my frequency (and in the clear) . . . I also operate without using the CW 
filters so I can hear more stations at once and use the filter in my brain 
to pick out stations . . . it is a skill that has taken decades to achieve . 
. .my CW speed usually is 35 + wpm . . .I suggest that those who want to 
learn how to operate CW  DX  purchase Bob Locher, W9KNI's book on : How to 
Work DX . . . ARRL sells it . . .  Bob and I went to college together 50 
years ago and he makes the famous Bencher paddles . . .

You and I can agree that there are different cultures, that is life . . . I 
consider myself somewhat of an iconoclast in today's culture but mainstream 
when it comes to getting things done efficiently and effectively . . . 
making the maximum QSOs in the shortest time frame . ..  that is how the 
game is played on a DXpedition like K5D . . .

years ago (1952) the DX on Ten Meters had privileges below 28.5 mhz on AM 
phone and that is where a lot of the DX operated. American hams did not have 
operating privileges below 28.5 and operated split (on phone) . . . you 
adapted if you wanted to catch the DX and it took some ingenuity . . .things 
do change and folks need to adapt . . . but spreading out so wide shows poor 
operating ability on the DX operator . .

what is abundantly clear on AO 51 is a lack of respect for your fellow 
operator . . . an intolerance for patience . . . when some well known 
operators go to a rare grid square (grid square collecting as you know is a 
common addiction to the AO 51 operator) and announce that they are operating 
portable from Grid  XX xx folks just call CQ or operate on top of the 
station who has taken time and spent money to go somewhere for their fellow 
operator . . . an example of lack of respect and us old timers call that 
being a LID . . .

like others I have taken the time to email or call on the telephone 
operators who have NO EARS (can not hear but continue to call to the 
annoyance of the community) . . . I have helped several and received their 
gratitude . . .  others told me to mind my own business . . . I do not feel 
I should mind my own business . . .  it is MY BUSINESS that all hams show 
respect to others and to the hobby that most of us love . . .  I still enjoy 
CW on the transponder satellites from time to time . . . most of those that 
have replied direct to me and off AMSAT  BB agree with me and feel that AO 
51 is a shining example of CB Radio at its worst. . . it is what it is 
(modern saying) . .

as for flaming . . . there is no place for lack of civility . . . thanks for 
your view point . . .attempting to work DX on a satellite via an FM repeater 
is a fool's folly . . . I personally know several of the K5D operators. . . 
I doubt that they had any idea of what to expect from their satellite 
experience . . . they do now  . . . having operated on several large 
DXpeditions where RATE (total number of QSOs) is the goal there will be a 
reluctance in the future to allocate the hauling of gear and the expenditure 
of time to working the satellites  . . . just my opinion . . . I do favor 
free speech and civility. . .  thank you for taking the time to write . .

NO I have not left this (satellite) part of the hobby . . . I got back on 
after being off for 30 years plus and successfully achieved a goal of making 
a contact with the International Space Station (ISS) . . . that was one of 
my biggest thrills in ham radio . . I cherish the recording of that exchange 
. . .

 my current station for the birds is a good one with elevation and azimuth 
control and 12 db + yagis  . . .  also computer assist on control of the 
doppler effect . . . learning how to assemble such a station and integrate 
the software and hardware was a learning experience . . . the operating just 
helps me validate my ability to do it properly . . .I had assistance from 
others who heard me making some mistakes ..  . I owe then a debt of 
gratitude for their help . . . . .I doubt that the LIDS on AO51 use the 
sophistication that is available to them . . . that is why the transponders 
(SSB/CW) are free of poor operating . . . and how you get suprised by having 
stations like HR1LW call you on CW on VO 52 . . .

 you might even hear me on AO 51 again . . . I learned long ago never to 
rule out anything . . . but like a lot of folks I try to avoid listening to 
poor operating by LIDS . . .

73 Jim W9VNE