Keep up the improvement Bill!
Since you are unfamiliar with the practice I'm assuming
you don't have experience doing this. Sorry if my
assumption is wrong. You've had a couple replies from
others, so thought I'd add some tips and shortfalls for
doing split operations. Operating split in the search and
pounce mode requires a lot of attention. I know how
easy it is to mess up!
Your radio probably has a second VFO or sub receiver.
Set the main to receive and use it to tune 7025 to 7125
(and sometimes higher). Set the "B" or sub receiver to
transmit. Tune your main to a station lisening "up" and
then move the B VFO to the frequency the DX is listening
to. You should check to make sure the DX hasn't chosen
a freq with a US QSO on it so you don't interfere with them.
(Many don't do that, but you should. That's one reason
non-contesters don't like us.) Answer the DX just as you
would if you were on the same frequency.
Some logging programs allow you to change the rigs'
frequency by typing in the last digits into the call field.
I'll talk about N1MM and WinTest. If you're on 40, typing
"234" in the call field takes the main VFO to 7234 KHz.
If you type "/234" in N1MM or "-234" in WinTest, it takes
the B VFO to 7234. By using those you can tune the low
part of 40 with the main VFO and when you hear
someone calling CQ and they say "Listening this
frequency and 234", type "/234" into the call field and
you instantly have both main and sub VFO's on the correct
frequencies. (WinTest is nice and automatically sets
the transmit focus to VFO B when you do that. That
caused me problems this weekend until I figured that
out! Sorry again Rick.)
The biggest problem when working split is that you
keep the transmit focus on the main VFO when you're
listening below 7125. You tune your B VFO (which
is really just a receiver now) to 7244 and then answer
the CQ. I still mess that up! Sometimes when you're
doing that someone will say "Check your frequency".
No need to answer them if you are ever told that!
I have had it said to me a couple times, but won't
admit I've ever said it.
Oh, you might hear split on 80 too, DX down in 3600 range
listening up around 3800+. Not very common though.
Kevan
N4XL
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