Here are more tips courtesy of some of your fellow DXers in the pileup. (Their ideas - may be posted in my words.) Follow their examples of considerate, good operating practices.
46. Be honest. If you are not /M (mobile), /QRP, /4 etc and the DX is calling for that don't pretend to be that. Many in the pileup know you are a liar and you will just get a QSL in recognition of being a cheat. Make the contact honest and something you can be proud of. Besides, you are cheating the real /M, /QRP, /Call district out of a contact and that makes you a DX pig. (Courtesy AG5T)
47. JAs, please speak English, when you contact to non-Japanese-speaking stations. Please do. Pllllleeeeaaaaaaassssssse. (JJ1BDX/3)
Comments
(AA0MZ note: Generally I don't copy unsigned stuff but this gentleman was very polite with his opinion and I very much respect his disagreement.)
Jim, I know you and others think that you are amusing and being funny. But insulting other hams is very childish and not funny at all. There are some real gems on your site but it is not worth going thru the hatred to get these gems. Sri es 73. Hamsters
USA - Sunday, March 09, 2003 at 22:55:46 (EST)
You have got to be kidding me. I can't believe you are actually discontinuing one of the funniest ham radio web pages because of the antics of a self-centered spoiled brat. So (name removed) bitched about you in every possible dx newsgroup, so what? Whoever read his tantrums, realized who he was dealing with. Check out his rambling on rec.radio.amateur.dx and you'll realize he's an ass. It is a sad day when one
pompous humorless pansy is able to shut down a website. Whatever happened to the first amendment?
Bring back the Crab of the Month or I'll personally go on every newsgroup and bitch about you until *my* diapers are full.
73 .... (name withheld)
USA - Friday, February 28, 2003 at 17:15:58 (EST)
Dear Mike Zooloo aka Jim, AA0MZ:
Please keep the Cluster Crab page going.
While I understand some of the claims and anger which (name removed) feels, and I should state that I might behave as (name removed) does if you make fun of
me :-), you do not have to terminate the humor of making fun of cluster maniacs, or even self-spottings, just because of (name removed) claim. (name removed) has
a right to show his anger to you, but you have your own right to say something you want. A healthy criticism or humor with a laid-back
attitude is necessary to keep the narrow-minded seriousness out of DXing and the cluster. The Cluster Crab page was a very good one. Of
course if you don't want to continue because of a persistent complaint and counter-action from others, you do not have to, but I suggest you
to start something else - your sense of humor is very entertaining.
In fact, even for a moderate cluster poster like me, I have confirmed some wimps and Lids in JA who get together at anonymous bulletin boards
make fun of me and anonymously and cowardly complaining to my posting of KH0 or Saipan which is not a DX for them (but surely a DX for EU, and
remember the cluster network is watched worldwide!); while those wimps only consume information on the cluster and never write anything by
themselves. True lids keep themselves anonymous and consider themselves the winners, while people know they are the true losers. If a DXer
were such a person, I would't want myself to be called as a DXer.
Anyway keep up your good work. 73 es "FB DX" :-)
// (name withheld)
// recently upgraded to JA 1st Class (1kW all HF bands)
JAPAN - Monday, February 24, 2003 at 21:50:41 (EST)Thoroughly enjoyed your website and your "to the point" comments. I'm back into ham radio after a 50 year hiatus and loving DX. Check bio at qrx.com.
Hope we can work some day.
Randy W6SJ Randy Johnson <randy@loan-wolf.com>
Newport Beach, CA USA - Sunday, February 23, 2003 at 21:56:31 (EST)sure hate to hear that the CCOTM page is not continuing... i always looked forward to each month's winners!!! 73's mike mcgahan <wo4y>
lavergne, tn USA - Saturday, February 22, 2003 at 17:05:15 (EST)
Jim,
Well, it takes all kinds doesn't it? I was very surprised upon checking one of my bookmarked "favorites" today, that you are ending your
tongue-in-cheek look at the DX Cluster, the "Cluster Crab".
A good DX'er friend of mine told me about your page some six months ago, and I've been reading it monthly, like a friendly newsletter, ever since. I
was beginning to wonder if you were having health problems, or if something had taken up your valuable time when I kept looking for the January 2003
"King Crab".
The DX Cluster is quite a resource 'eh? I'm 40 this year, and stared DX'ing when I was about 14 in the mid-late 70's. I grew up DX'ing without
packet and without the Internet. Like a lot of folks, I helped form a local 2m simplex spotting frequency, where we would all share spots as we spun
the VFO. The only news we got was over the air, and an occasional (monthly) DX newsletter with upcoming expeditions.
I took a break from the hobby from about '82 to '92, and when I returned, I swore off DX'ing and instead focused on VHF/UHF weak-signal. I didn't
get back on HF seriously until '99. After getting bitten again by the DX bug, I was amazed to discover (not re-discover) the DX Cluster. I'd love to
write about it, about how it's transformed DX'ing forever, but fear it's been written about to death.
What I found both interesting, as well as entertaining, was your unique perspective into the "people of the Cluster", and how it's used and
abused.
There is no one way to DX; everyone has there own technique and own personal goals, so I won't go on about how it's ruined the "meaning" or value of
the award, it's just interesting to see the differences from the pre-Cluster era.
Now that I've discovered out how to access the Cluster from my logging software, it's like shooting ducks in a barrel. All day long (or
evening long anyway), little voices in my computer tell me to work a "new band or mode" and highlight the next log entry-to-be. Sure, you still have to
get through the pile-up, but heck, finding 'em is/was more than half the battle. We used to say this about being successful in DX "you have to be at the
right place at the right time". How that's changed.
The damn thing is addicting. It's too easy to get your next DX fix from the pusher called the Cluster. I find myself monitoring it from work, in
addition to the countless hours at home, both awake and in bed. My family is sick of it. But I think I've gone to the edge and stepped back before
going over. While I still use it for "band fill", I still spin the VFO, harkening back to the "old days", and get rewarded now and then with the first
call back to a DX CQ. And you know what, I rarely post those. I'm a Cluster USER, not contributor. I live off other's spots.
Things I like about the cluster:
- the obvious; can "listen" to the entire spectrum, not just from my home, but from all corners of the world.
- helps one to learn and/or perfect ones understanding of propagation.
- part of a large online community; knowing many others share the same interest
- geo-political, humorous, sporting, and other non-DX "spots" (to a certain degree)
- the "King Crab" award
Things I don't like:
- Incorrect callsigns (so many people either can't type or can't copy CW).
Of course, then they're corrected and the corrections are corrected.
- out-of-band spots, or QSX info that's out of band. The same people above can't operate their rigs or logging software either.
- DX1ER, DX2ER, etc. These people are cowards and their posts are never of any value, serious or otherwise.
- how it's cheapened the "art" of DX'ing. It's made it an appliance operation now, what with DVR's and keyboard keying, it won't be long
before the logging software will work 'em for us. Having said that, I use it for all it's flaws (see "things I like").
- that it will get me through 12BDXCC before the end of the month and then I won't have anything to do with my time.
Anyway, enough about that. I am disappointed that a very thin-skinned person in our ranks didn't see the humor and satire in your work and take his
well-deserved knocks. If you have indeed decided to hang up the "King Crab" hat, I will surely miss it.
Don't take it to heart. I can see in your note that you may have for some period of time anyway, but drop the load of bricks and move on. I'm
sure you'll find some other unique perspective to comment on, and encourage you to do so.
73,
(name withheld)
USA - Wednesday, February 19, 2003 at 22:51:56 (EST)Hi enjoyed your Homepage and the funny pages about DX. Being on this end of the pile up you can respect the Funny pages. 73 Larry Larry Arneson <vq9la@yahoo.com>
Chagos DGAR - Monday, January 27, 2003 at 01:23:23 (EST)
Subject: Hillarious
Very funny website. I think you should sponsor a "Worked All Krabs" award. (WAC is already taken).
As for my use of the DXCluster, I am currently entering into a DXCluster 12 step program . . . .
I appreciate the humor with the message and I like the good dx op practice list too. Found a few things I can do to improve my skills - things I forget when in a pileup
73,
Rich KY6R
Rich, KY6R <rholoch@attbi.com>
Lafayette, CA USA - Saturday, January 11, 2003 at 07:35:19 (EST)Kudos to your sarcastic humor for the DXers.
I've been new to DXing, but your hard-core and very awfully sarcastic humors are too nice to be on the Web - for those who claim themselves to be real DXers but actually not.
I see very few amateur radio operators have learned something (if anything) from USENET, Web BBSes, reflectors or mailing lists, or any other Internet resources, though already TEN OR MORE YEARS or SEVENTY OR MORE DOG YEARS (applying the rate factor of seven) have passed, as long as I've seen from the ongoing stupidities on the DX Cluster. Aren't Amateurs "progressive"? Aren't HF DXers "international" people?
I would also like to add one thing: JAs, please speak English, when you contact to non-Japanese-speaking stations. Please do. Pllllleeeeaaaaaaassssssse.
73 es FB DX
Kenji Rikitake, JJ1BDX/3 <jj1bdx@jarl.com>
Japan - Saturday, November 02 2002 at 09:08:20Your Whiner page is VERY bad, go inside yourself before you tell anything about wking DX from Aurora field areas.... I know you are evil, but hour humor is simple...... Ashoul <>
Iraq - Friday, November 01, 2002 at 11:23:08Love the pages about DX. Will look forward to seeing who the Cluster Crabs are each month. (I hate DX nets). Thanks for the laughs. I'm going to share your pages with the guys at the DX club. Paul, N5PR <n5pr@arrl.net>
Belen, NM USA - Thursday, October 31, 2002 at 10:25:33 (EST)Hello Capt Jim....
Your web site and parodies are hilarious.....
Re the Cluster Crab, you haven't experienced cluster DXing until in the heat of battle one posts "has gone QRT" and listen to the pile immediately diminish ...
.....and two or three minutes later someone will post another QSO, same station, same frequency so bedlam resumes. This works especially well when the target is weak and many callers haven't heard the DX anyway..
Try it, it is fun.
Some people say I'm a natural crab anyway.
Heh Heh
73 de ole Bill. Bill, W5USM <W5USM@aol.com>
TX USA - Thursday, October 31, 2002 at 09:13:24 (EST)Jim,
I read your DX tips and it humbled me some. I thought I was a
pretty considerate and well trained op, but while reading it I realized that I
had committed 1 or 2 acts of stupidity on the air at times in the past.
Your tips go far beyond those contained in the ARRL Operating Manual, and
should be required reading for any ham who pushes a transmit key on HF. In my
opinion, you did ham radio a service by providing a comprehensive, easy
to understand list of good operating practices. Well done.
73, Ken, W4OFE <kir2@earthlink.net>
Riverside, CA USA - Monday, October 14, 2002 at 18:25:13 (EST)10 Oct kr6c (0308Z) : Excellent Op Guidelines: http://www.mikezulu.com/dxer.htmGREAT page, lots of fun. Very informative for LIDS and super ops hi..
73 Paul - LA6YEA Øystein Eikedalen <la6yea@c2i.net>
Norway - Thursday, October 10, 2002 at 01:31:07 (EDT)the self dx cluster postings are for the
guys that dont have Hawaii confirmed. not
me bozo.
go ahead ruin it for everyone.no more
self postings since you find it necessary
to ridicule. kiss off lem w nash <lemwnash@aol.com>
keaau, hi USA - Wednesday, September 11, 2002 at 20:25:31 (EDT)LMAOOOO... Great content. One question, what do you call (other than pathetic loser) someone who spots the DX on the cluster they work in a DX net????
73 es CUL
Dennis - WB0WAO WB0WAO <wb0wao@hotmail.com>
Oscoda, MI USA - Saturday, July 20, 2002 at 03:38:45 (EDT)THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME. KEEP IT UP
TONY Tony Naglieri <N1NJ@ATTBI.COM>
WARE, MA USA - Friday, July 19, 2002 at 16:50:54 (EDT)Great web page. Lots of laughs. How do I order the "Cluster Crab" T-shirt? Brad Nowak <bnowak@telocity.com>
Waterford, MI USA - Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 08:37:36 (EDT)fb webpage om. nice family. I particulary like the crab page.
73, Jim jim <nn6ee@amsat.org>
USA - Sunday, July 14, 2002 at 16:44:18 (EDT)in the ANN section: hands down, (deleted), should change category to "of the year" with this guy!
Entertaining list.....
73,
Zig KM9M Zig, KM9M <km9m-zig@attbi.com>
Lemont, IL USA - Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 23:44:06 (EDT)Hello Jim,
Really enjoyed looking at your site. If only people would read this stuff the bands would be whole lot better particularly when the big dxpedition hits the airwaves. I thought the cluster crab and the LTI club were very amusing. Steve Harwood G4OWT <g4owt@btinternet.com>
Lewes, UK - Monday, May 06, 2002 at 02:28:02 (EDT)Thanks so much for your article "So You Want to be a Dxer" Great Job and Thanks for letting us include it in the VADXCC Information Handbook. 73 de KU4EC/KG4EC
Gordon Leland <GLKU4EC@AOL.COM>
Virginia Beach, Va. USA - Tuesday, March 05, 2002 at 17:58:58 (EST)
Nice website. If only the lids would read it...
Ryan k3xc <k3xc@hotmail.com>
Auburn, PA USA - Sunday, March 03, 2002 at 18:26:11 (EST)
Enjoyed your comments about dx mess. Agree on most all of it...Been dxing since novice in l954, seen a lot of changes, not too many improvements..Hi Still have managed to get on the Honor Roll, and I'm not a BIG GUN here, do have an amp and pretty good antenna (even though its not up l20 feet.... Good dx and health to you....Don k0huu
Don Amateur radio k0huu <k0huu@atlascomm.net>
Springfield, MO USA - Sunday, March 03, 2002 at 17:53:11 (EST)
Brilliant site many thanks for a cornucopia of info. I appreciate all the hard work you have put in. I enjoyed the notes on so you want to be a DX-Er. A great refresher. Thanks got 290 confirmed & the bug still has me in its grip. 73 de Glyn GW0ANA Glyn <gw0ana@arrl.net>
Cowbridge, Wales - Wednesday, February 20, 2002 at 06:58:35 (EST)
Last Two Intl is hilarious! Noran Wald <w9vq@arrl.net>
Chicago, IL USA - Monday, January 28, 2002 at 10:55:35 (EST)
Send any comments or more suggested tips you would like to see posted.
