2012 IARU HF World Championship | Pursuing Excellence

Good afternoon from the shackadelic #hamr zone where one day remains before the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim. Also, the Beach Boys ARC barbecue in Shell Beach is only one hour away to include burgers, dogs, and good conversation. On the other hand, we are chatting about the recent caught the team red handed during IARU HF World Championship and the consequence that may follow, in the near future.

Pursuing the box, is personal, and it reduces into enjoying ham radio not as a career that will finance my retirement or lead to commercial endorsements on the flat screen. Instead, it is all about pursuing excellence while competing against self, within the boundaries of the rules. It was explained to me, when RadioSport is no longer fun, there is a square button on the wireless set. Furthermore, when the game is not fun having crossed the boundary, then use the off button.

Additionally, spoiling the game is not cool either because it is a real drag on everyone however it is not going to deter the fun that I'm having in pursuit of the Box. What counts when the moment finally happens is how I achieved my winning score. The spoilers create complicated situations to solve especially for RadioSport sponsors. Likewise, I applaud the high road taken, not pointing fingers, not naming names, rather the evidence was turned over to the adjudicating body.

Contest advisory committees are working to solve the leaking dike, plugging one, leading to another, perhaps onward into perpetuity as technology complicates the rules. What counts, at least for me, is the individual's diplomacy after discovering what happened then how the matter was handled. Now, the decision is with the RadioSport sponsor, and it is like business, not personal.

Lastly, I love the game, certainly wishing is not going to make the spoilers go away instead learning how to manage the advantage within the rules, is my task. We are brain storming here in the Five Cities and it really is reducing down to one thing--operator skill matched with wireless hardware. I know that in my bones.

I have a barbecue to attend in a little bit with one wireless set going on the air. Likewise, there is the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim, scheduled for tomorrow morning. Go Team Red Bull! In the meantime, have a splendid day and lots of ham radio fun, till next time.

Life is wireless.

2012 IARU HF World Championship | Personal Note

Good evening from the shackadelic #hamr zone where long delayed echoes between hemispheres subsided into memory and it is time to reflect on my performance. Overall, I had a lot of ham radio fun in the pilot's seat inside my mentor's shack during the course of 20 hours. The central coast of California enjoyed pleasant blue skies and a moderate temperature in the mid-60s while a solar storm raged above. It was good racing weather.

I'm pleased with my Q total of 1,003 however that was not enough to push my position when 3830 Score Rumors published on CQ Contest Digest. I went to the other performance extreme that is lulled into a sense that multipliers would follow rate per hour. Well, that didn't happen, and I didn't take advantage of the polar opening into Europe during grayline starting at 17 degrees ending at 35 degrees with either 6 element monobanders pointed toward Africa.

I wasn't watching the multiplier matrix instead the Red Bull rate per hour couldn't compare with searching and logging.

Searching and logging multipliers is as important to one's score as maintaining a rate per hour above fifty five. However, the rush of rate is an apples to oranges comparison because the adrenaline keeps pumping, even when I knew my multiplier numbers needed improvement. Likewise, I was playing a high stakes game of Monaco that is hoping conditions would improve toward Europe on either 15 or 20 meters.

Okay, I'm no Daniel Craig as James Bond in Casino Royale, where the greatest poker game ever played on the flat screen occurred.

Even with 6 element monobanders on 15 and 20m in addition 5 elements on 10m pointed toward Asia at 315 degrees plus or minus. It wasn't enough to compensate for the flattened polar path that connects the European multiplier express with the West Coast of California.

Instead, I kept betting on the same four tires without taking a pit stop to review my strategy because the rate per hour was hypnotic. My lesson learned.

Contest on!

P.S. Congratulations Sandy, DL8QQ for a terrific score out of DR1A as 1,799 Qs went into the log totaling 2.6 million points.         

My 10,000 Hour RadioSport Challenge | 9,470 - 20 = 9,450 To Go

Score

Rate Per Hour (RPH)

Storm conditions flattened polar paths into Europe on the high bands. The effects are catching up this afternoon. There are a few chores remaining for example uploading at eQSL, LoTW, and ClubLog before collapsing on the couch with Radio Dawg.

Perhaps, I'm going to crash on the couch and catch up on my chores through the work week, let's see what happens.

I want to thank all the 5 point JA-stations and 3 point zone eight stations, while RadioSport seems to be catching on in China as more BY/BD/BA stations are appearing in the log, in addition to the PYs and LUs who make a tremendous difference on 10m, and all the hard work in New England because many of the WRTC 2014 stations are in the log as well.

Contest on!

P.S. I'll post my lesson's learned next weekend in between the Beach Boys ARC beach barbecue.