From: NAME: Andy Burns
FUNC: Research and Development
TEL: 0324 493981 <BURNS,AL@A1@GRRD04>
To: "cq-contest@tgv.com"@rcwi01@mrgate@grrd04
Couple of questions on working split:
In the phone test I spent quite a bit of time working US stations on 80m. Most
contacts were made in the 3.750 - 3.800 range, not using split frequencies.
Occasionally I would here 'listen up' and so start listening above 3.800 and
work the one station who called me but no more. I would have to go back to no
split operation to get back to any rate.
On other occasions, I would qsy to 80m after a spell on 40m only to find the
750-800 segment too occupied hence would start calling on 3.740 and listening
up. Again no real rate until I started working direct.
What is going wrong? Is it that a large number of casual ops do not know how to
work split or is it frowned upon? GM always seems good DX for 80m from the US
judging by the qsl cards I receive!
Secondly, why do the big stations like LPL listen down at 3.660? My 80m loop
has it's 2:1 swr curve from 3.700-3.800 and I don't like transmiting into an
swr of 4.5:1. I did it once over the weekend and then resigned myself to
leaving the big stations to call me...which they eventually did. 3.700 - 3.750
is usually relatively clear and I don't know why you don't listen there. Most
casual ops over here will have smaller antennas hence narrower bandwidths and be
tuned to our higher frequencies. Anyone with any comments let me know.
About propagation in general, I haven't seen any comments about poor
propagation on Sunday of the Phone test. The scores from over there seem
tremendous. As I put in my scores, I made no contacts on 15 or 10m on the
Sunday chosing instead to be on 20m. GW0ARK did a 15m single band effort
working 1200 qs on the Saturday and 10 on the Sunday!!!!! Did anyone see the
same effect?
Andy
GM0ECO
burns_al@grrd04.dnet.bp.com
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