A couple of small additions to this beaten to near death topic:
1. If some little pistol is wasting your time by saying "please copy",
he's probably saying the same thing to anyone else he works. So he wastes as
much of their time as he does yours, hence a wash. Relax!
2. Opportunity costs. You may be running a great rate to EU on 20M at
1400z, but if you're missing the 15 meter opening, you are losing. 20 will be
there later, 15 won't. You have to have some judgement on what will wait,
and what won't.
3. Opportunity costs part 2: unless you're trying to make a show on the
real time scoreboard, don't sweat the really common multipliers early on.
Last weekend I was surprised to have several big east coast single ops call
in early on 20 meters, presumably for a zone 4 mult. Can't imagine why they
were worried about that one in the first hours of the first day.
73 - Jim K8MR (Running last weekend from K8AZ)
In a message dated 12/4/2010 12:54:31 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
trogo@telegraphy.com writes:
There are many things to consider many of which have been mentioned:
1. Propagation - here today gone tomorrow - A BIG ISSUE
2. Many stations only operate a few hours during the contest - maybe not
there later
3. Possible problems with the station which could slow down future rate
possibilities
4. Possible antenna/rotor failures which could have great impact
5. Other extenuating circumstances such as illness, etc.
6 Probably others which aren't included...........
IMHO the best strategy is to work them when you can and as fast as you can
- worry about
sunday when sunday comes.
Regarding the signing of your call: I can't imagine how much time I've
wasted while hunting new
multipliers, especially in the waning hours of the contest, listening
to a station running but not signing his call only to realize I'd already
worked that station when the call is finally divulged! VERY
FRUSTRATING! Sometimes I'll finally call the station and when he
answers I'll ask for his call and if it's a dupe he's wasted HIS
valuable time! So who wins? Even worse if you're operating Unassisted and
can't refer to the "spots" and more or less determine who it is.
My modus operandi is to sign at least every second QSO and
always acknowlege the receipt of the other stations' report with
a "TU" or "QSL" or in some manner. If both stations don't acknowledge
the receipt of the exchange how can they know it was a valid contact
and is it worth the risk of a 3 QSO penalty if it wasn't? Especially
important when the pile up is massive.
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