>Then W4AN chimes in:
>"I just found a frequency in that 1KC-clear zone you are talking about
>and start CQing. Within a few minutes the frequency was clear of those
>folks lower in the food chain.
[snip]
>All I can say is, I'm sure glad these guys don't act like they talk.
>I've never heard any of them behave in other than the most courteous and
>considerate manner.
I don't think Bill or anyone else is an inconsiderate op. The facts are
that when you have a big signal, the frequencies around you clear out. I
learned this in this year's SSB WPX.
This was the first contest that I had run at legal power in years and was
just the third effort with my FT-1000D as the transceiver.
Anyone who has a 1000 knows that its RX is awesome and does not get
overloaded very easily. So I would find a sliver of frequency between a
couple of other stations. I would make sure that it was wide enough that
each was not intelligble but sounded like the voice of the teacher in the
old Charlie Brown cartoons. Yes, it was annoying to my ears but the 1000
is good enough that it doesn't bother me. I'd ask if the frequency was
in use once and usually twice. If no one complained at that point, I
started calling. I'd then work a nice run of stations. The interesting
thing was that 10 minutes later all of the QRM on either side of me was
gone. No one complained once to me all weekend (except the SSTVers).
Now if I were to use my FT-840 and try to find a sliver like that, I
doubt I'd get very far. Or if one of the stations out in my "QRM zone"
had a less stellar RX than the FT-1000 he might get frustrated with the
QRM too. Yet a station just a couple KCs away with a good RX would have
no problem from me.
The quality of receivers and filters makes a big difference. Once with
my FT-840 a station 3 to 5 KCs up was clobbering me. I moved up and
politely told him he was splattering and killing me. His apology was
"Sorry. I am only running 50 watts and hardly driving my mic." His
signal was so good into my RX that the 840 couldn't deal with it. On my
1000 I would never know he was there.
So those stations with incredibly good RXs/filters can get where others
can't. It makes all the difference in the world. But the fact remains
that those with the big signal WILL clear out the frequencies around them
even without being rude. When peope hear a big gun they will move off to
avoid interfering with him and they might have an inferior RX and they
don't want to get clobbered. Contesting really is survival of the
fittest and it can be done without being rude and nasty to anyone.
And Bruce, with you being a DX station, people WILL make lotsa room for
you. That's one benefit you have.
I hope this helps.
73,
Jon
KE9NA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Second Amendment is NOT about duck hunting!
Jon Ogden
jono@enteract.com
www.qsl.net/ke9na
"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
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