[ADXA] Thrill of Victory - Agony of Defeat

Sun Jan 24 09:42:04 EST 2016

You don't need to work one for Rick.......He would say "I don't need it,
already worked it.....barefoot!!!!   :-))))

ZN

> Good words from Joel!
>
> I heard similar tales and frustrations last night on K5P and VP8ST when I
> spoke at Fort Smith.  These guys are not easy to work, but when you think
> about it, it is RARE DX.  Ii is the effort that makes DXCC an award worth
> EARNING and why we are so proud of the accomplishment of snagging that
> rare
> one.  Joel talks about not giving up and that's the key: don't give up!
> K5P
> has presented a unique set of challenges for K5UZ mostly due to my
> schedule
> and thunder snow popping resistors and a key relay, but I am still getting
> them where I need them (Palmyra is not an ATNO for me so I'm not too
> stressed).  Tomorrow is 160m day for me and they will be worked by K5UZ.
> I
> think about VK9CD on Cocos Keeling some 10 years ago when the 160 op
> running
> EU at our sunset decided to call NA, and after calling some minutes
> through
> K1's, W1's, W2's, W3's and a few VE's of various stripes VK9CD sent "K5?".
> Oh it wasn't done yet; I replied with a slow "K 5 U Z"  three times and
> damned if he come back with "K5UR?"!!  Sorry Rick, I'm not working this
> guy
> for you!  Again Slowly I sent "NO NO NO DE K5UZ K5UZ K5UZ K5UZ UZ UZ UZ"
> He
> returned again K5U?"  ARGHHH!  Again I fire my call several times and he
> sends "SRI QSB K5U? AGN"!  WHAAAA!   Once more I slowly dump my call four
> or
> five times then I speed it up for three more and the miracle ensued as he
> replied- "K5UZ K5UZ QSL 5NN 5NN TU"!   A nice grey line QSO on 160 to a
> very
> rare one indeed and persistence was the key.   No, I did fret about the
> Aluminum Curtain from the NE, I just kept calling.  Also, the other key
> factor here is LISTENING.  If I wasn't listening for the DX I can promise
> I
> would not have worked him.   That is one of three framed QSL's in my
> shack:
> JY1, K7UGA and VK9CD- the best hard earned DXCC victory.
>
> DXCC is a long-haul game of attrition played out over decades as many of
> us
> well know.  How do you get these big totals over 300?  Stay in the game
> and
> don't quit; it is just that simple.
>
> Tonya, my last piece of advice in the pile-ups:  When you get frustrated,
> regroup, take a couple of deep breaths, stand up and shake it off, don't
> lose your head, and get mean, plum mad-dog mean in that pile-up and call
> with authority!  You'll put 'em in the log that way.
>
> Now I hear VP8STI on 15 CW - a needed band!  Don't quit- stay in the
> chair!
>
>
> 73 ES DX
>
> DE K5UZ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ADXA [mailto:adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Joel
> Harrison
> Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2016 6:45 AM
> To: adxa <adxa at qth.net>
> Subject: [ADXA] Thrill of Victory - Agony of Defeat
>
> Tonya, KE5SNS, brought up a good point about the frustration we have all
> experienced in trying to work a significant DX station, especially a
> DXpedition that is only active for a very short time and won't be back for
> possibly a very, very long time.
>
> For those of us who have been in this hunt for several years we can sit
> around and tell victory and defeat stories all day.....sometimes we do,
> especially the "victory" stories when our buddy was defeated! :-))
>
> If this were easy, we wouldn't be so proud to hang our DXCC certificate on
> the wall or walk around at a ham gathering with our DXCC pin on our shirt,
> cap or jacket. From my perspective, it makes us who we are as DX'ers in
> amateur radio. To share a current victory and, so far, defeat I was
> ecstatic
> to be able to work VP8STI on 160 meters. A proud accomplishment for me but
> I
> also need them on 12 meters and I am yet to work them. There has been no
> propagation here on 12. Yesterday, I was all poised to nail them on 12 if
> the band opened. Reviewing the prop charts for when they had worked U.S.
> Zone 4 the target time was around 2100 - 2300z. So, being that I have been
> a
> bit of a horse's behind ignoring my wife the past two weeks with K5P and
> VP8STI both on the air I thought I would be nice and take her to lunch
> yesterday, especially since she cancelled a "shopping trip" due to the
> snow
> and bad roads. So, we're at lunch, I come back and check in with Rick K5UR
> who was also on "12 meter watch" and guess what? There was a very brief 2
> minute opening at 1730z. Rick snagged 'em, I snagged a hamburger at the
> "Highway 55" restaurant!! DEFEAT!!!
>
> I spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening glued to 12 meters but
> no cigar. I got so frustrated I finally had to just walk away from the
> shack....maybe today!
>
> J, N5LKE, has been pounding away for K5P since its start and finally
> nailed
> them on 17 meters yesterday for an all time new one for DXCC - VICTORY!!!
>
> As I said, the list of experiences can go on forever. San K5YY has been
> relating some of his experiences as of late from his current QTH with a
> smaller antenna installation for the low bands from what he had for
> several
> years.
>
> We still have a couple of days so do NOT give up!!! Every time I'm ready
> to
> do so I remember the FT5ZM Amsterdam op a year or so ago. Our window on
> 160 meters was very short and we had to fight through that darn east coast
> wall. A number of us kept plugging away and on the very last QSO on 160 my
> buddy down in south Texas, K5RK, nailed them....the very last stinkin' Q
> !!!!! I was "defeated" in my attempt but Larry never gave up and did the 3
> point shot / hail mary pass at the buzzer and won.
>
> Don't give up !!!!!!
>
> 73 Joel W5ZN
>
>
>
> www.w5zn.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
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