If you are really getting stressed out because you did not work PT0S on CW even though you already have SPSP confirmed on SSB and RTTY I would say you are getting too wrapped up in this hobby and instead of a relief from the stresses of daily life this is actually causing you added stress.
It's time to reevaluate the hobby my friend. I think you are much too invested in the DXCC count which many hams do not even pay attention to.
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
Hi John,
I was reading your bio and you have more countries worked than I do and you're using a "minimalist" station. I would've thought you would've got stressed out a long time ago since you are using such a modest station.
When a rare DX station, like PT0S, comes on I do not look to work them on every band and every mode. I just go with the flow and work them where they have a strong signal. Since I have a Triband Bencher Skyhawk that usually means 10, 15, and 20 meters. I do not enjoy RTTY so that eliminates one mode. I ultimately worked PT0S on 4 bands and 2 modes and I was extremely happy with that result. I am trying to fill in band slots so I can have DXCC on all bands from 10 through 80 but there are many easier targets than SPSP for 80 meters and I don't bother with 160 meters as I will never have a competitive signal from this location. If I work all the easy targets in just Europe and The Caribbean I will be very close to 100 countries on 10 through 80.
I participate in many of the popular contests but I realized a long time ago since I was never going to win my section it made very little sense to stay up all weekend just to add points to a losing score. For this past weekend's contest I spent about 10 to 12 hours in the contest mainly going up and down the band S+Ping. I did make it a point to work the African stations which were activated for the contest (7P8, EL2) on the 3 big bands and I added three countries to my total for the Diamond Award. I enjoyed the time spent but I really could care less how my score competes with other stations since I did not try to maximize my score.
As for the Marathon, I have other interests and do not want to have to tie myself to the radio for a whole year. I am counting countries for the Diamond Award because I find it interesting to see how the world has changed politically in the past 75 years yet I will not be as competitive as some since I only started participating about half way through the year.
The ARRL Handbooks have a section at the beginning of each issue called
The Amateur's Code. I think it would do us all well to keep a copy someplace in the radio room and to read it once a year. I think the part about an Amateur being balanced is the part most DXers and Contesters need to pay attention to.
Here is an excerpt from
The Amateur's Code:
BALANCED: Radio is an avocation, never interfering with duties owed to family, job, school or community.
It was written in 1928 and it sounds a tad hokey now but many DXers and Contesters could benefit by keeping the principle in mind.
It is very hard to be balanced if one is looking to fill every band slot and be competitive in contests while working full-time and raising a family. Actually it is virtually impossible.
I'm glad the advice was of use to you. It just seemed like common sense to me.
John, nice to work you on 10 meters during SS.
Here is a link to the full text of
The Amateur's Code for anybody interested in viewing it:
http://www.qcwa.org/amateur-code.htm73,
Chris/NU1O