You wrote:
>
>In ON4UN's interesting account of ARRL CW he mentions:
>
>>"I used the 3 el. full-size yagi to the States, and had my 4-square
>>beaming East to tell the "pirates" to move. That was helpful. "
>
>Is it common practice among the big contest stations to keep
>competitors away like this? I can see the point of beaming in two
>directions to optimise Qso rates on simultaneously open paths, but to
>use a second antenna to keep competitors away...? Also, if output
>power is split to two antennas, is the reduction in signal strength in
>the prime target area outweighed by the benefits ?
>John Krzymuski G4DQW
>
Welcome to the Real World, John!
A high front-to-back can be a big disadvantage if some guy in back of
you can park on your frequency, and blow right up your skirt and
either disrupt your run or actually work "your" stations right through
you. For example, a W6 running JA does not want a Texan performing that
kind of electromagnetic sodomy upon him.
Soooo, there are several artifices occasionally employed. The fixed
beam facing your would-be tormentors is one. A relay to open a
reflector is another. And so on. Reducing your F/B to 10 dB from 20 dB
puts a big signal in the other guy's face with only a small penalty to
your own signal.
Is it ethical? I think that, if it is used to protect oneself--i.e. as
a defensive weapon--it is probably OK. It seems a helluva lot more
ethical than deliberate splatter or key clicks from overdriving, or
deliberate QRM, as has been observed on more than one occasion. Not to
mention just out-and-out bullying of smaller stations by bigger ones.
Of course, for me, it is all theoretical--I don't have multiple yagis
and foursquares--but I'd like to :>).
Garry, NI6T
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