But Is It Ham Radio?

I was reading the mail, listening to a VK work a JA with S-6 or better signals until they ID'ed. Low and behold; The VK was remotely operating station in the Carib. via VOIP and the JA the same with a station in the Southwest. It reminded me of the April Fool thread on QRZ-more importantly is it DX.? Yeah its techno whiz but not the same as working Uruguay Sporadic-E on 6M at 10W or three new countries QRP HF in an afternoon. The issue is dependence on infrastructure, we loose track of what happens inside the magic box(s). No I can't build my HF transceiver but I can build and understand a simple CW Xmitter and DC receiver and in a pinch could rely on it to make some contacts-admittedly slow and sloppy.
Distance wise maybe DX. I consider CO6LC DX but not if I E-Mailed him.
If the intention is to advance the art OK, I can understand that. But when radio becomes just one element in the data path, then its not DX. But what do I know.

73 de Rob

CQ Contest...

The CQ Magazine WPX SSB contest is this weekend, and I am ambivalent; On the one hand a contest, esp. a dx contest a continent away, gives a pissweaker a better shot as the other guy is looking for any signal, not just the loudest but on the other hand the band can be filled with "5-9" and a confirming datum irrespective of conditions real or otherwise and not too much scrutiny to see if the frequency is in use. Guess I'll sit back and be morally superior unless a VK or ZL happens to pop in....

73 de Rob

OK Now who called me a terminal no code?

Chicken Banders and Whiners

On QRZ (http://www.qrz.com/) and the Isle of Misfit Hams there was a thread, and reference to same, of someone bitching that without a kilowatt and a beam DXing was no fun. His kinfolk came by the house the other day. I was working in the yard and he stood in the street and asked about my wire and if I "Shot some skip." I mentioned confirming 12 states including Ak. He asked about a "Get Out Box" (bootleg 11M amp.) I said I was running 8W. His Reply? Bullshit! Good thing I didn't tell him about the 12 countries!

Had an awful lot of fun last weekend, the Russian DX Test had a bunch of folks out and worked Eastern Europe, Scandinavian, the Caribbean and wore the paint off Brasil, the Oklahoma and ND QSO Parties didn't hurt either.

Saw a FT 7 for sale, what I could do with 20W?

73 de Rob

My Band of Brothers, MATSB Song Ong Doc II 1970

The Gravedigger and Mr. Jones, Fat Albert, Trung, the Dufflebag team and all those time has fogged.

(stolen shamelessly from http://brownwater-navy.com/vietnam/vietnam.htm)

Nothing to do with radio except for a PRC-25.

73 de Rob

And another and another...

Happy dance 73 Rob

Got that one confirmed:

73 de Rob