I didn't make the cut.

I spent the day based on trying to work Mozambique as there is a DXpedition there. Most of the driving force there seems to be a young lady from Wales that is a GREAT operator.

I once worked her when she was at her home station in Wales. She was pretty funny that time.

I worked her briefly and when we had exchanged call signs and signal reports she said that she had two other friends that wanted to work me and passed me off to one of them. I worked him and he passed me on. Three DX QSOs in just about a minute. Pretty good.

It was exhilarating until I later thought about it. Then my face burned with shame and humiliation as I realized I had just let a brazen woman pass me around to be used like a tissue but I digress...

Anyway, I guess she went to Mozambique on a DXpedition.

I missed most of it because I was at sea but tried to work her during the last three days of it with a remarkable lack of success.

Last night she taught me the difference between a good operator and a GREAT operator.

I had her on a VERY weak 2x2 and was trying to work her during the ups and downs of a really lousy signal.

I would try and work her when I could make out what she was saying and stay silent during the time she turned to gibberish or I'd lose her.

I tried several times and she proved she wasn't a 'cherry picker'.

She must have pretty damned good ears because she threw back my prefix and tried several times to get my suffix. She didn't quit until after several tries and finally gave up because it wasn't fair to the others.


People like that are great operators because they try and work the weak and QRP stations and give them a shot at a new entity. I have to respect that.

While I didn't make it into her logbook I think I was given the privilege of getting to see a truly great operator in action.

On the other hand there are days I can't lose for winning.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

I didn't sit at my rig all day trying to QSO with her. When propagation was down I ran errands, fixed things or tried to work other people on other bands.

During a lull between chasing her I inadvertently wandered into what was another pileup. I guess it was during a lull or something because I sent out my call in code and promptly got it thrown back at me with a 5NN signal report. I was a bit stunned and sent him back a 5NN and listened as he worked several other stations. 

It took me several tries but I finally figured out his call and looked it up. When I figured out his call I penciled it into my log. I emailed him later that evening and found out I'm in his log and I now have Burkina Faso in my log. 

 I've sent for a card already.

Incidentally I think the guy in Burkina Faso is probably is wondering who I am. I'm going to have to stop practicing CW on the air or at least stop sending out that I am a Japanese corporal in New Guinea that doesn't know the war is over.

One of these days someone's going to report me to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and they'll mount a rescue operation of some sort.

On the other hand, maybe I should keep it up. After all Geraldo Rivera hasn't had anything to do for a  while and maybe FOX will send him to cover the wild goose chase rescue operation. There is nothing so satisfying as seeing Geraldo Rivera with egg on his face.







To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY