Romeo in P5
Last week one of the Local QRPers was up the hill, this one to throw himself in our chair and complain that he was tired. "I've had it", he advised us, "I've had it with DXing and and with all this rushing to catch something just beyond reach. I'm tired of DXing. I've worked them all and there is nothing left in it for me. Just nothing at all."
We had to think this one over for a bit. We were pretty sure we knew what was really at the bottom of all for we had been listening to the QRPer on the DX spotting repeater last evening. "You weren't there when P5RS7 showed up on 40 meters?", we asked. "Of course not", the QRPer replied, "I knew the rumours of Romeo going to P5 were hogwash so I was watching television. And anyhow, it had to be Slim." We were silent for a moment for we knew one of the Big Guns had sat on 40 meters and worked him on one of the QSB peaks. And we knew all of 3W0RR's other DXpeditions from rare ones and received ARRL approval.
We were wondering how we would could find the words to console the hurts of one who worries because he is no longer secure as the local top DX dog. "We heard that some of the new DXers say the P5 was really Romeo and that it will count", we said carefully, "but maybe it won't. Anyway, we are sure you could have worked him if you hadn't been watching football. They all come around again." The QRPer glared at us with his beady little eyes. "It was Red Eyed Louie! He never sleeps! He sat on 40 CW for hours. When we finally got an opening he worked him on the first call!" Son of a Gun! What could we say in a situation like this?
"Look at it this way.", we said, "What is wrong with someone else topping our scores? We've been at the top for a long time and enjoyed it. Why not let those who don't park in front of the TV have their turn?" We had missed our pitch by a country mile. The QRPer was standing with his hands clenched. "The longer I know you, the harder it is to understand you", and with that he was off down the hill, unrepentant and unconvinced. Son of a Gun! We knew the P5 would be back tonight, but we also knew the QRPer wouldn't be the first to work him. As Albert so often said, "All things are relative, some more so!"
This story is in the public domain and may be reproduced in any format. - VE1DX
Last updated 15 December 2020