In a message dated 2/24/03 12:26:56 PM Pacific Standard Time, tree@kkn.net
writes:
>
> Sigh - this is one of my pet peeves about 160 meter contests in general...
> The
> small amount of space is used up by stations calling about 10 CQs per QSO
> (or
> even more) per QSO. However, this is the way to make the best score... be
>
> loud and keep the duty cycle up.
>
>
> I typically get on for the CQ 160 SSB contest and try to encourage activity
>
> up the band. However, it seems strange that I can't have a chance in the
> prime part of the band - because someone just has to occupy it to work
> another
> 15 guys in an hour. If I am fresh meat and have a rate over 100/hour -
> isn't
> that better than someone hogging a frequency so they can work 15? Does
> anyone
> calling CQ contest and not getting answers really own the frequency?
>
> How about a rule where if someone calls 20 CQs in a row without an answer,
> he
> has to go somewhere else? It just seems a terrible waste of spectrum. Or
> how about this... if you answer someone's CQ - you get double the QSO
> points
> for that?
>
> Oh yeah - maybe nodoby will call CQ then... maybe we can use BaconNet or
> something to fix that.
>
> This year, I just didn't bother getting on. It just didn't seem worth the
> trouble.
Reminds me of one of the classic Yogi Berraisms: That restaurant is so
crowded, nobody goes there anymore.
While it would be cool to have some way that x unanswered CQs would be
grounds for someone else claiming the frequency, in the meantime I take
another approach in contests like this where I'm not real serious: I make a
point not to call those big guns who seem to have crystal controlled radios
with only one crystal.
In the CQ 160 CW I made 242 qsos in about 3 hours, mostly Saturday evening,
some Sunday evening. 10-15 % were me calling people, but not the obvious big
guns (at least those in the eastern US). Comparing who I worked to the high
claimed scores, I worked:
3 of the top 10 HP single ops
5 of the second 10 HP single ops
6 of the top 10 LP single ops
3 of the second 10 LP single ops
7 of the top 10 Multi ops
7 of the second 10 Multi ops
About half of those multi op qsos were within 10 minutes of the one time I
was spotted on packet.
Many of the second 10 LP guys were only on for 10 hours or so, so our times
simply may not have coincided.
I'd suggest that to be part of the solution, do what I do. If there were
several hundred guys out there known to be available only by finding and
calling them, the crystal controlled guys might be persuaded to invest in a
160 radio with a VFO, and use it.
BTW, I did an even more extreme version of this in the 160 SSB test. I got
on for the last 11 minutes and made 32 qsos, with a maximum last-ten rate
timer of 272/hr. A good, quick shot of fun.
73 - Jim K8MR
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