Chris,

I was on packet for awhile and got into a local DX cluster.  I started
getting so mad, even when the simplest of countries showed up on the band,
that is one of the most common countries, and within 60 seconds, there was a
pile up deeper than a well.  I finally gave up the computer for DX work and
went back to just working them when I found them.  I understand, when like
now, the counditions aren't anything to get excited about, of spreading the
word but it has gotten rediculous.  Shoot, even most contesting isn't
anything like it used to be.  My first 169 countries were worked on wires
before I got a small tri band beam on the roof.  I ran a Drake TR4 back then
and no amp.  Back in 80 through 82 I had a 4 element 20 meter beam at only
38 feet.  I had 700 watts output and worked 295 countries in one year just
on 20 meters.  The bands were super hot for a couple of years then, too.

Phil.
K0NX