Brian, sorry to hear that you are getting criticized (sounds like non-constructive?) for your Sat operating efforts. however I bet most hams do appreciate your efforts, including me! its my experience that those that unjustly criticize are in the minority in the ham world. I have personally benefited from those constructive and helpful critical comments to my operating attempts, and continue to welcome/benefit from them. YES, field operating the Sats is hard! I know, I did it for years in all kinds of weather and time of day, and that was 'only' the FM birds. field operating the SSB birds are even more difficult. the way I figure it, us operators with an earth station/rotor/software etc do have an advantage such that perhaps at times those advantages can help /overcome those challenges the filed ops encounter in order to accomplish a contact (find you on the sideband)....its a team effort! such that both can benefit - rovers striving for their rover awards - and others striving toward for their Grid awards. so perhaps for every negative, non-constructive critical remark you receive, just remember their are probably 10 more hams(at least my guess) that appreciate your efforts. good luck roving! 73 Christy KB6LTY
---------------------------- <More arm chair operators should attempt to make QSO's in the field. They might get an idea of what manual everything entails.> What I see is ops sitting in front of their SDR computer screen, and criticizing someone who is out in a field, holding an Arrow in one hand and an HT in the other, and combating fading, because they missed something in a call, or did something that they don't like. I only work satellite portable and don't know the luxury of working from a temperature controlled room with computer screens, rotating and elevating antenna, pen and paper, etc. But we handheld ops are still giving them the grids. Brad KC9UQR