[Lowfer] DX record?

[Ed Phillips]

Bill Ashlock wrote:
> 
> Les,
> 
> I appreciate your sharing this information with us. I personally didn't
> realize the extent of the cheating going on in the good old days but was
> always curious as to the reasons for seeing such heavy-duty power supplies
> in the pictures of early transmitters. This news places a cloud over any
> accomplishments achieved back then, which is the 'real' problem for those
> that don't follow the rules, and it affects us all.
> 
> With the advent of various digital modes there is no reason what-so-ever to
> exceed the 1w level to achieve a large number of ski wave contacts. I hope
> we can all move forward, from this point on, with a clean slate.
> 
> Hope to see other's feelings on this.
> 
> Bill Ashlock

	Those digital mode didn't exist then, we were experimenting, and as far
as I'm concerned "IF IT DOESN'T BOTHER ANYONE it should be OK". Around
the LA area there was at least one good SSB net using transceivers
designed by Charles Faulkner, W6FPV.  They ran about 5 watts PEP, and
made good readable copy. However, when one is trying to compare records
it'w quite another matter.  The "cheater" only cheats himself!!!!!


> >Even Mike Mideke admitted that he could not verify that the Z2 beacon
> >wasn't transmitting at around the 5 watt level on the days of the
> >Hawaii receptions. Mike actually used his beacon for communication
> >purposes from his rural home at the time, lacking telephone service
> >and even AC power as I recall. So he sometimes ran the beacon at
> >higher power levels for communications and would forget to switch it
> >back down to 1 watt input.

	Had a number of QSO's with Mike on Z2 (distance about 220 miles give or
take).  CW was probably about 15 WPM, as that is where my keyer is still
set and haven't touched in in 20 years.  Copy was better when he was
running QRO, but the Z2 beacon was always copyable at whatever power he
was running.  As for hearing someone else, I swear Mike could hear a
signal generator in my basement when I was using it to line up a
receiver!  He sure could hear my puny little IZJ.

> >The fact is that some lowfers have always ran a lot more than
> >legal power and continue to do so today. Fortunately, most of them
> >seem to have no real interest in weak signal work...so you don't
> >have to compare apples to oranges these days. Live and let live, I say.
> >I don't really object to these types of QRO operations, but I'd hate
> >to see their claims diminish the truly spectacular achievements made
> >just this season.

	Right on!

> >Les Rayburn, N1LF
> >XMGR

Ed