I had a real good belly laugh with KR6X's second method "exchanges". Tnx
I really needed that!
There is no doubt that #1 is the superior method IF the guy understands
to give his full call without prompting. This implies a high level of
knowledge and skill. Unfortunately this is usually NOT the case. For
the same reason that you describe the 2nd scenario, unfortunately all
too common, the pileup often get's out of contol because of the lack of
courtesy and skill of the stations calling. This makes scenario #1
almost improbable, since the same guys mucking up the pileup are likely
to be the guys not knowing intuitively (or caring) to give their full
call when the DX station comes back to them.
I find that scenario #2 rarely occurs for most DX operators with a high
level of skill (unless of course it is a "new one") and my experience
has been that when I get the call first, before I give the exchange, the
guy knows that I have his call correctly, I know that I have his call
correctly and everyone is happy. I used method #1 for many years and
found that my rates were lower, discipline was poorer and I was more
frustrated. This is not cast in stone however and I vary my operating
strategies from * MINUTE TO MINUTE * depending on the changes in band
conditions, # of stations calling, signal strengths, qsb, qrn, qrm, what
part of the world I am working, and lots of other factors.
When I am DX and I run a pileup, I try to come back to stations so fast
that I am already giving the exchange by the time they stop calling.
This causes them to listen harder, make their txmissions shorter and
realize that they won't have to wait very long to contact me which
usually lowers their level of anxiety and increases their level of
cooperation. Yes, this is pileup control, but so is situation #2 if
handled well.
It's always cool to see the wide range of opinions and different levels
of experience behind them. It is even more important to realize though
that everyone's past experience is different and some methods work
better for some operators and other methods work better for others.
73
Bob KQ2M
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