I have been licensed since 1980 and active in contests for almost as long.  My first contest was the 1981 November Sweepstakes as a novice, and my first serious effort was the 1981 Ten Meter Contest.  However, on reflecting on recent events this afternoon, it became apparent that trying to fit contesting in with the rest of my life is becoming too stressful.  I hate to say that but I have my hands full with raising a family (only 1 kid), a job, trying to stay in shape, and watch football.   I have decided to take a break and maybe log only 2 or 3 contests a year, like the 10m contest, the IARU contest, and the Illinois QSO party.

Has anyone else had to make this decision?  Was it tough at first? Do you regret the time you missed?

John AF5CC
A stressed out parent/ham/DXer

I think you can go there with special permission. According to WIkipedia, for Baker Island:

"Public entry to the island is by special-use permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only and is generally restricted to scientists and educators. Representatives from the agency visit the island on average once every two years, often coordinating transportation with amateur radio operators or the U.S. Coast Guard to defray the high cost of logistical support required to visit this remote atoll"

The wikipedia entry for Howland Island says the same thing.  I assume it is possible to get permission for a DXpedition.  Dr. Hrane (who lead the K1B DXpedition) seems really good at getting things coordinated with the government.  If KP5 could be activated a few years ago, I am sure KH1 can be also.  Not sure why there haven't been any recent DXpeditions there.  Glad I worked K1B on 40-10 all three modes.  That was a great DXpedition.

Wish we could see a serious DXpedition to Wake Island, and back to Kure again.  I would really like to see the South Sandwich Islands activated again, as that is the only entity I need in the Western Hemisphere.

John AF5CC

They could set up one station and have Gilligan pedal the stationary bicycle really fast.

John AF5CC

Chris,

That is good advice.  Decided to reevaluate some things this afternoon after spending too much time on the CQWW contest.  I should be grateful that I have PY0S confirmed on 2 bands and modes, and I have ZL9 confirmed on 20m CW already, so need to keep that in perspective.

Decided to delete my scoresheet for the 2012 DX marathon.  Don't need the stress of keeping that score as well.  So it is gone and already out of the recycle bin.  Same thing for the log I was keeping for the CQWW contest.  To quote Black Sabbath "It seems like desperate measures but sometimes it has to be done."

Nice to work you last weekend in the SSB SS.  I was running from the minivan in the parking lot of Olympic Gold Gymnastics in Clinton, OK where my daughter was doing a meet.

Now to get on the exercise cycle and hit the cycling again!

John AF5CC

Yes you will!  I sometimes look at my 5BDXCC plaque (with 30m, 17m, and 12m endorsements) and still shake my head in wonder.  I did it with 100 watts and wire or vertical antennas.  Not to brag, just to show what can be done with smaller stations, which was the point of your post.  I was thinking the same thing as you-it has been an incredible journey.  I know you have been doing it a bit longer than I, as my original call was a KA0 call.

John AF5CC

I didn't expect the pileups to stay as bad as they did either.  I don't think the clublog boxes had that much to do with it. I think most hams realized that this entity might not be activated again for a long time so we had better get them on as many bands and modes as possible.  Never did get them, but worked a few other new band countries and 1 new QRP country while they were active.  Glad I didn't need PY0S for an ATNO, but might have this hole in my CW DX total for a long time.

Yes, the pileup behavior at times makes me think about giving up DXing as well.  I know one ham who gave up on HF DXing after the behavior during a Bouvet DXpedtion (3Y5X I believe) back in the 1990s.  It must have worked, as he wins first place overall in most VHF contests today.

John AF5CC

Great to see all of the cyclers on here. Done a few centuries myself-Apple Cider Century in Michigan, Hotter than Hell Hundred in Texas, TOMROV in Iowa, and did the ride across Illinois.  These were all back in Grad school when I had much more time due to no XYL or daughter.  Still do bike to work each day. Hoping to go bicycle mobile sooner or later.  Need funds for a FT817.  So far only do bike mobile with an HT.  Check out W9XS on QRZ.COM for a serious bike mobile setup.  I have worked him twice on 20m.

John AF5CC

Didn't get them but glad they went. Hope the Brazilian Govt doesn't keep this one QRT too long  Didn't realize how rare it must be based on the size of the pileups.  Hope to have better luck with ZL9 (have it confirmed on 20 CW).  Hope the pileups are better behaved for ZL9.  The behavior for PT0S was some of the worst I have ever seen. Hope this isn't the new state of DXing.

John AF5CC

Well we know it is only 3 hours from Hawaii.

John AF5CC

Did work EL2MF yesterday for a new 12m country, and 5B4AJC today for a new one on 30m, so everything hasn't been lost in the past few days.  Usually new band countries are better than a new mode country, except when it is one needed on CW.  Getting another one for the 2012 marathon would be nice also.  Might have to not track stuff for the 2013 marathon.

Wish I could afford a beam again, but money is pretty tight right now.  Have no real desire for an amp at this time.  Did 320 countries with 100 watts.  The money would be better spent on antennas than an amp anyways.

John AF5CC

That is part of my problem-cycling is a big hobby of mine also.  Hard to find time for chasing DX and cycling as well. Lost about 20 pounds myself this year, but some of it has crept back on once the fall DX conditions hit, and I was showing signs of overtraining from the exercise bike and running so had to back off of that a little

John AF5CC

Anyone else ever feel like they were losing their mind chasing a DXpedition?  I wanted a CW QSO with PT0S (already have St. Peter and Paul confirmed on SSB and RTTY) and one for the 2012 DX marathon.  Glad I didn't need this for an ATNO.  Tried to schedule my life around chasing them for the past 10 days, but much of the time I couldn't hear them, based on cluster spots.  When I could hear them, the pileups were terrible.  Didn't realize it was that rare.  10kc or more of a spread, terrible behavior in the pileups, endless callers, couldn't find the station they were working most of the time, etc. Most of the time I really felt I didn't have a chance in these pileups.

I usually don't have too much trouble with DXpeditions 6000 miles or less from OK, even with 100 watts and my dipole.  DXpeditions in the Western Hemisphere are usually pretty easy.

Anyone else get this stressed over a DXpedition in the past?  This one has made me seriously think about giving up DXing for a while.  I can't take the stress.  Can't imagine how bad it will be chasing Heard Island as that will be an ATNO for me, and one that is 10,000 miles away.

John AF5CC

I see that MFJ has come out with a 10 meter Moxon Rectangle antenna.  I like the price on it-$75 at R and L Electronics.  I like the size and weight, would fit nicely in my setup.  However, MFJ's ad says the gain is 3.3DBi.  That put it at .5 db gain over a dipole or something like that.  Is that really worth it for the price.  Yes, it has some F/B to it, but would it be worth the money over the G5RV I am currently using on 10m?

John AF5CC

I see that MFJ has come out with a 10 meter Moxon Rectangle antenna.  I like the price on it-$75 at R and L Electronics.  I like the size and weight, would fit nicely in my setup.  However, MFJ's ad says the gain is 3.3DBi.  That put it at .5 db gain over a dipole or something like that.  Is that really worth it for the price.  Yes, it has some F/B to it, but would it be worth the money over the G5RV I am currently using on 10m?

John AF5CC

Antenna here is a homebrew G5RV type dipole.  Up about 25 feet in the center.  Running 100 watts with the 706 original.  Also have it going on 6m and 2m as well.  Made a 1400 mile plus QSO from OK to CT on 2m last summer.  Using a 70 watt amp to help, though.

John AF5CC