Marios Nicolaou (5B4WN) wrote:
>
> George and George and others
>
> Many thanks for your emails.
>
> N3BB Wrote
> > >200-300 QSOs an hour with a single run station. Having having operated
> > >with K1DG (a great operator) on 15 meters SSB at PJ9B this past October
> in
> > >the CQWW, we achieved about 105 QSOs an hour *average* over 48 hours
> from
> > >one of the best contest locations in the world. There are slow periods.
> > >But we were on one band. If we could have moved to where the QSO rates
> > >were always at a maximum, what would our QSO rate have been? Is it
> > >realistic to hit 200 QSOs an hour over 24 hours with (primarily) a
> single
> > >transmitter from Cyprus?
>
> K5TR wrote:
> >
> > I have never been to Cyprus but I have make 4500 qsos in 24 hours
> > from Honduras as a single op at the dead bottom of the
> > solar cycle.
> >
> > And as I recall N6KT made 10,000 qsos in 48 hours with a bit
> > more than half coming in the first 24 hours.
> >
> > So I would say that it is possible to average 200/hr for 24 hours.
>
> An average of 200+ from Cyprus with 10m dead and mediocre propagation on
> the other bands, That IS unrealistic with a SINGLE transmitter as is 4000+
> QSOs H20A and P3A are claiming for IARU. Of course, CQ WW is another story.
> I guess you (K5TR) made 4500 QSOs in either CQ WW or ARRL DX. I know as a
> fact that N6KT made 10K in ARRL DX where the whole of USA is looking for
> multipliers and not working each other........
> These contests:
> a) Are single mode (hence everybody is either on SSB or CW)
> [But then one can argue that one can be worked twice as many times
> (compared to in a single mode contest), but then the CW rate is not as good
> as the SSB rate so the overall average rate will be lower. But then you can
> have a run station on one mode (160/hour) and a S&P station on the same
> band which can achieve a substantial rate (eg 60/hour) by working everyone
> on SSB then CW then new people on SSB (ie total 120/hour) etc etc]
> b) Have generally a very high activity level
> c) The exchange is the SAME and SHORT ie not serial numbers
> In addition it helps if you are somewhere really DX [country or zonewise or
> both] (eg HC8 or HR), somewhere near the USA, you are the only station on
> from that country during the contest, propagation is good, you have a
> reasonably good station and you are a good experienced operator etc
> Very few of the conditions above are satisfied as a far as this year's IARU
> was concerned. From what I hear propagation from Cyprus during IARU was not
> that great (10m was almost dead) and the 4200+ QSOs H20A is claiming looks
> very bogus to a number of people on this reflector including myself.
>
> Well, in any case my last email created a lot of response from a variety
> of sources. A lot of adverse experiences. The bottom line (so far) is that
> H20A and P3A were violating the "ONE SIGNAL AT ANY ONE TIME" rule. Please
> keep your messages coming.
>
> Best regards,
> Marios
> 5B4WN
>
> --
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In my opinion, it is mis-leading to speak of QSO rates achievable on SSB
without qualifying as to what part of the world one is working. It's
one thing to work USA from Honduras or Bonaire at a 200+ clip, hour
after hour, but I would say virtually impossible to sustain those rates
into Europe. I remember very well, during our 1984 CQ WW world-high
multi-multi at TI1C, N6AA thrilled that he had just done a 190 hour into
Europe on 15 meters. It was especially significant for Dick in that in
all of his world-high, world-record setting operations from 9Y4VT, he
had never hit that kind of rate into Europe previously. And when I set
the 15 meter world record in 1994, under the most ideal conditions to
Europe imaginable, I was similarly thrilled to hit a 215 hour into
Europe. By the way, I assume hourly rates to be a full clock hour,
beginning "on the hour", NOT some peak over a 5 minute period!
Not intending to re-open that unfortunate thread of a few weeks ago,
it is just impossible to work Europeans at sustained high rates (i.e.,
hour after hour) on SSB. And, of course, when we're discussing RATES we
need to modify it to speak of ACCURATE RATES. Many claim seemingly
unbelievable rates, and upon close examination as to the ACCURACY, they
are, unfortunately, unbelievable.
It must be understood, of course, that for most Europeans, English is
not the native language. But most do much better in English then we do
in theirs. And I marvel at my European friends like, for instance,
CT1BOH, OH2BH, and OH2MM, who are fluent in more languages than I can
remember, and ARE able to run SSB at high rates. We Americans, and
others where English is the native language, are altogether "spoiled" in
that radio contests are conducted primarily in our native language. I
wonder how we would do if, for example, the CQ WW this October was
conducted in say, Polish?! Now THAT would be a HIGHWAY!.
There are many wonderful, skilled operators in Europe, but
unfortunately, the bad practices of just a few can slow down the entire
pileup, especially on SSB where everyone's more-or-less on the same
frequency. Calling out of turn and the incessant asking of QSL routes,
for instance, on both SSB and CW, seems to go with the territory, and
even though VE3HO has been my manager for many years, and it is well
publicised, I cannot run a European pileup, contest or no, without being
asked my QSLing route every fifth QSO, or so. So, just to be
"consistent" (pileups demand consistency - on both ends), I NEVER give
my QSLing route during a contest.
So back to the central question that 5B4WN poses, and having some recent
SSB contesting experience operating in that part of the world (1986 JY7Z
and 1987 SU1ER), the preponderance of QSO's in Cyprus would seemingly
becoming from Europe, and after they get past the top layer of Europe's
high rate, highly skilled contesters, I personally don't see anyone
SUSTAINING many 200+ hours into Europe. One man's opinion.
Vy 73
Jim Neiger
N6TJ/ZD8Z
"Why wish it was easier? Wish you were better"
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