I too heard several DX pileups on 17 yesterday. I did not hear anyone using the
Signal report + Zone system being used in the contest this weekend.
james
WD5GWY
 

Maybe you should consider another hobby. The Maritime Net knows all about contests and
has adjusted to it for YEARS. It does not happen every weekend. Just a few weekends a year.
As for the qrp calling frequencies........those are not mandated frequencies, but, like a lot of
"calling frequencies" are by gentleman's agreement, not by law. And there is NOTHING to prevent
anyone else from using them.
 The WARC bands ARE immune to contests, because all of the contests do not count contacts made on them. It would be a waste of time for someone to use them and try to submit the contacts for contest points. What you are hearing, as another poster pointed out, are DX pileups
when a DX station (usually a rare one, but not always) is spotted. Then, a lot of people want to
make the contact for DXCC etc. So, you hear a ton of people calling.
  Either do as has already been suggested, learn to live with it and find other outlets, or give up
Amateur Radio as it just may not be for you. Especially if you are so offended by such a simple
thing as a contest. There is still a TON of spectrum available and modes to work, (this weekend is a SSB contest, not CW or digi-modes) and HF, VHF, UHF, etc. frequencies to use them on that are not part of the contest.
OR take up stamp collecting................
james
WD5GWY
(good filters on a good radio = less qrm to listen to during contests)
 

OHHHHHH, you've done it now!!!
You have went and talked nicely about
three radios that EVERYONE knows are
just plain junk!! 
Just kidding! I have a Flex 1500 and enjoy
using it too. And at some point I'd like to
add a 3000 to my collection.
As for the KX3, it looks like a neat radio.
But, I am not quite to the point I want one.
I recently bought a Yaesu FT-1000MP MKV and
am having way too much fun with it at the moment!
Good luck and enjoy your radios. They all have their
pluses and minuses.
james
WD5GWY

I use the qrz.com online logbook quite a bit.
But, it won't really help you towards ARRL Awards.
It is fairly easy to use. I'm not certain if it will take
data from LOTW. I "think" it will.
I have had several contacts that looked at the log entry
and never confirmed. And others confirmed very quickly.
If I were into awards etc. I would use LOTW instead.
But, I enjoy casual DX'ing and am too lazy to keep a
paper log like I used to do!!
james
WD5GWY
 

No doubt!!! But, according to the guys helping the lady sell her
husband's equipment, the radio has had that mod done to it.
It is a late production rig, built in late 2005. I don't do CW much
anymore because of my hearing. CW tones seem to fall right into
a pitch that can be tough for me to hear. (also have Tinnitus and
the ringing and pitch is enough to mask some CW for me)
  I'm slowly learning this radio. And want to add some filters to it
too. The stock filters and DSP stuff, works pretty well. But, a bit more
would help.
  When I do try and do CW, I have a nice TenTec Jupiter that is great
on CW.
Thanks for the info. I really do like W8JI's website. A lot of info there.
james
WD5GWY
 

I too have to disagree with this statement. Driving is not, and should not be
considered a menial task. I drive an 18 wheeler for a living (over 40 years) and I can tell you from experience, it is anything but "menial". That type of attitude is what gets people killed on our highways every day.
  Since Distracted Driving laws are already on the books, they should be enforced. But, seldom are they enforced. Adding more laws is not the answer.
Enforcement of existing laws is. Too many times I have seen people do ANYTHING, but pay attention to their driving. It is a daily occurrence, and sad too. Too many lives are lost from accidents from people, reading, eating, texting, (one of my pet peeves) and countless other activities, other than PAYING ATTENTION to what a driver is supposed to be doing, driving and driving safely. There should be nothing you have to do while driving that is so important that it draws your attention away from paying attention to the cars and trucks around you and what they and you, are doing. Not paying attention could cost you, your loved ones, or even a stranger your life.
  Some things, like talking on a radio or even using a Blue Tooth wireless headset and talking(cell phone and even some CB's) while driving, are not nearly as distracting as some things I've seen.
I could recount some of them, but, that would, at some point rate this post as X-rated !!!
james
WD5GWY
     

Sorry you didn't find any goodies!!! There certainly were a ton of them out there.
But, finding exactly what you want and in the condition you want, can be a challenge sometimes. I've wanted a FT-1000MP MKV for a long time. But, they were usually priced way out of my comfort zone (budget) or in sad shape.
This time, things clicked for me.
  I saw several things that "tempted" me. But, I resisted, knowing that I really was hoping for what I ended up with. Had there been a Collins 75A4 receiver in good condition, in my price range, I would have probably bought it, instead of the Yaesu. For some reason, I see those when I am low on money! (having just spent what would have made it possible to buy one)
  I love hamfests and Belton has to be one of my favorites. Some of the local ones here in North Texas (not counting HAMCOM or  Cowtown Hamfest) are getting pretty small, with less and less attendance. I really hope that changes. No fun when they go away...............
james
WD5GWY

Zenki, have you seen this Kenwood TS-990 ad yet?
http://www.hamradio.co.uk/userfiles/file/TS-990S-Leaflet-final.pdf

Look mid-way down the page of the leaflet and you will see the transmitter
specs. It appears "to me" that someone might just be listening to you!
james
WD5GWY

OT -- What a fantastic idea!  Perhaps I will also have that opportunity one day and will remember your act of generosity by paying top dollar for an SK's equipment.  Thanks!   

73 ES GOD BLESS YOU ES URS DE KEN N4OI 
[/quote]
Thank you Ken. It really doesn't hurt to help someone like that sometimes.
Especially when it is obvious that they need the money and in this lady's case, she had a lot of medical expenses etc. from her husband's death.
Good luck and I hope you do find that special something sometime for yourself and at the same time it helps someone else.
james
WD5GWY

There was a 1000D at the hamfest Saturday as well. And it was loaded with
filters and had the second receiver, and other options with it. I came VERY
close to buying it instead of the MKV. It had a few, but, hardly noticeable,
scratches on it. And like you said, it was HEAVY! The guy selling it was really
giving me the hard sell too. And all the while, saying he really didn't have to sell it. And if he could not get his asking price, he'd just take it home.
We were about $100 off in what I offered and what he wanted. So, I got the MKV instead. As I said, it looks brand new. And according to the Serial Number, it is a late production unit as well.
  I know that some people have had issues with the radio but, so has every other radio out there. Reviews here still rate the radio very high and with what little time I have used, it, I have to agree that it is indeed a fine radio. I may go ahead and buy the suggested INRAD filters for it too. But, as it is, the receive audio is great and the factory filters along with the DSP and other features seem to hold their own against interference.
  james
WD5GWY

That's one of the reasons I consoled myself by buying a super clean, Yaesu FT-1000MP MKV yesterday at Belton!! 
Fantastic working rig. And a TON of features to boot. But, no Slice Receivers
anywhere in sight.
 One of their employees was set up next to Flex's displays and he was working hard to sell me his FT-1000D. I almost took him up on it too!! But, the MKV
looked good too. And it helped a SK's widow. (she was at the hamfest and I knew she needed the money......so that part was for a good cause in my book)
   Anyway, the employee that was trying his best to sell me his 1000D, said that the "Signature Series" 6000's that were pre-ordered, should be available by the end of the year. Manufacturing is taking place down the road from Flex in Austin. And that general availability after that, "probably" won't be until March 2013.
  I'm still glad I did not pre-order the 6500 , that I had seriously thought about getting. But, I could not really see putting $1,200 deposit down on something I have yet to see a WORKING demo of. Call me silly, but, that's just the way I roll ! 
james
WD5GWY 

I bought an FT-1000MP MKV at a local hamfest yesterday. So, my experience
with it is very limited! It is a late model MKV from a SK estate. No extra filters.
Even so, it is a nice, BIG radio!! This one looks like it just came out of the box.
I'm still exploring all the features that this radio has. I have several radios to
compare it to, but, none quite in it's class. My TenTec Jupiter seems to be almost
equal to the receiver(s) on the MKV. It is really close, with the filtering that is
available in the Jupiter. I also have a Flex 1500 qrp rig. The receiver on it is good
too. I paid what is pretty close to average price ($1400) for it, and it included a
Heil desk mic. I get good audio reports with it too.
  One reason I bought it, is I have always wanted one, after seeing and trying one several years ago. But, prices at the time were just too high for me.
Also, this helped the SK's widow. She was there and the guys that were helping her sell the radios her husband had, were only there to help her and not taking a cut of the money she got. Lots of guys buy up equipment from family of SK's and, "sometimes, not always" get it on the cheap due to the family not knowing
the value of the equipment. These guys did not do that to her and actually helped her.
  Anyway, did not mean to go off on a tangent, but, if you decide to buy a 1000MP MKV,at a decent price, I'd say go for it. There are a lot of people out there that can repair them should they need work. Later production runs of the MKV seem to have corrected issues with the earlier runs.
And, unless you are heavily into CW, the stock radio with it's interference fighting features, will handle almost all, if not all, interference problems.
I started using mine yesterday evening and more today and the California QSO party is/was going on and as-is , this radio works great against qrm.
james
WD5GWY
 

I don't currently own a beam(too old to climb towers anymore    ). But, in the past I have used Mosley(TA-33Jr) and Hygain(TH-11DX) beam antennas. Both were good and worked well for me. Neither one worked on the new bands.
I have read good things about the Force 12 antennas and looked (drooled actually) at them at HAMCOM in Plano,TX (hamfest). They seem to be very
well built. Had you thought of looking into one of their later models?
  I was wondering one thing. Are you using your auto tuner to work the WARC bands with your current beam antenna? While that may work, I would think performance would suffer quite a bit. (just curious)
Anyway, wish I could offer you some good ideas on which way to go.
Good luck.
james
WD5GWY

(oh, I know about XYL's not liking big antennas. Had to tell one years ago
if she wanted to be an ex-YL that she should keep up the complaining. She stopped............ and six years later she became an ex-YL )
 
 

If it's selling for $700 locally and you have the money to spare. I would
say buy it. But, don't expect to get the performance you are hoping for.
The latest version of PowerSDR does help the problem. But, it does not
eliminate it. And a good, FAST, dedicated computer would be ideal as well.
  Used Flex 1500's (qrp) are selling for around $500 or so here. So, paying
$700 doesn't seem that bad to me. And it should bring much more than that
should you decide you don't like it.
  OR, if you don't want it and the seller will ship to the US, I'll buy it!! 
Seriously, if you get it and download the latest version of PowerSDR which
includes new firmware for the 5000A (and others as well) you might be
surprised at how well you like it. As a general ragchew radio, the Flex's are
hard to beat. IF you like fooling with computers. I think they are fun and
at the right price, worth having around. BUT, I still like radios with knobs
and radios that glow in the dark!!
james
WD5GWY
 

Interesting statement. And that is exactly what Flex Radio is
counting on with the coming introduction of their 6000 Series
SDR radios.
  They say they will give updates (bug fixes) for free. But, for
upgrades in features, that will cost money. ($200 a year)
I'm not sure that I would be willing to pay that amount of money
yearly on the chance they come up with a new "feature" that would
be compelling enough for me to want. So, as far as Flex Radio is
concerned, I'll keep my Flex 1500 rig and look for something else
to go with it. (well, I have quite a few other rigs to go with it, but,
I'm planning on getting rid of most of them and getting one very nice
radio...........with knobs and buttons!!)
The Yaesu FT-3000 looks promising, but, given the support issues that
I've read here and elsewhere(I have owned and still own some older
Yaesu HF rigs that are still chugging right along) I might wait to see
how others respond to the new radio.
james
WD5GWY