Yes this helps Bill:
This is fantastic and I have printed it out to keep close
to the station :0)
73 fer nw,
Bob
KE5CTY (old calls WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill Coleman [mailto:aa4lr@arrl.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005 9:00 PM
> To: KE5CTY Bob
> Cc: cq-contest@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Contest Decisions
>
>
>
> On Aug 20, 2005, at 2:39 AM, KE5CTY Bob wrote:
>
> > can I hear what you more
> > experienced operators feel are the *really* important
decisions and
> > what criteria you use to make your judgment calls on
them?
>
> Well, I don't know if I count as one of the experienced,
but "more"
> is relative....
>
> Anyway, I've learned several important lessons from much
more
> experienced contesters that revolve around judgement.
>
> From K5ZD, I learned that you really have to listen to
the
> band. Not
> just if there are stations, but which stations are you
hearing? From
> what part of the world / country? Who is answering CQs
from your
> area? What do they sound like? Do they sound strong,
weak, watery,
> lots of QSB, etc. From these small cues, you can often
tell what
> propagation is doing.
>
> Randy also suggested that when you are S & Ping, if you
pass a
> reasonably clear frequency, try calling a few CQs. If
you get
> answers, then keep running. If not, then you can resume
S & P.
>
> One thing I'm still working on is deciding exactly when
to stop
> calling CQ and start S & Ping. Clearly you do it when
the rate drops
> -- but what rate is low enough? That I haven't figured
out yet.
>
> From W4AN, I learned many lessons. Bill always said not
to worry
> about your score in the past hour of the contest -
instead focus on
> what you can do *this* hour to improve your score. Don't
give up.
>
> Bill always felt that time in "the chair" was crucial to
developing
> contest skills. Want to learn how to do SO2R? Then spend
every day
> making contacts with one radio while listening on the
other.
> Enter as
> many contests as you can, even if it is only for an
hour.
>
> Bill also taught me that there's a lot more skill to
contesting than
> is readily apparent. Guys on this list may grouse about
multiple
> kilobuck rigs, stacks of monobanders, remote bases and
what not --
> but all the equipment in the world does you no good if
you
> don't know
> how to use it. Challenge yourself to maximize your score
with the
> equipment you do have. Trade up antennas and equipment
as you can
> afford it - but don't obsess over it.
>
> K3ZO taught me the secret to finding a clear frequency
isn't
> how many
> times you send QRL? or ask "Is this frequency in use?"
-- it's how
> much you listen to the frequency. Fred also demonstrated
that the
> frequency you've been using for a while, even in a
crowded band, may
> not be sacrosanct. It may be just as easy to find a new
frequency
> than slug it out where you are. Let your rate meter help
you judge.
>
> Does this help? Or were there other topics you had in
mind?
>
>
> Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL Mail: aa4lr@arrl.net
> Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
> -- Wilbur Wright, 1901
>
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