N6AA on pileup management - 1998
Periodically this reflector is subjected to well-intentioned advice about
CQ-ing stations signing their callsigns after every QSO.
Managing a pile-up by judicious callsign rationing is an advanced
operating technique that, if executed properly, can squeeze a few extra
contacts out of an operating period. Since small differences in operating
skill rarely affect contest outcomes, many contests can be won without
ever
mastering such skills. In fact, most entrants are rarely in situations
where such action even matters.
However, there are advantages to not signing after every QSO.
1) If you can make another contact without signing your call, the time
you
would have used to sign the call can simply be used to make additional
contacts.
2) By keeping some potential callers off balance until they know who you
are, you may be able to reduce the size of an excessively large pile-up
to
a size where you can copy callsigns.
3) There are a number of highly-skilled operators with small signals. If
these individuals sense that you will allow their skill to get them
through, ahead of competitors with bigger signals, they will stick
around,
trying to work you. If they sense that you are a plain-vanilla operator,
signing your call every time and then working the loudest station, they
will go away since they know how weak they are.
4) If you are a common CQ-ing station, many S&P'ers will call you only
once. When two stations reply, and you finish the first contact extremely
rapidly, and give the second station the impression that you know he was
there, he may call again, even if you completely missed his callsign.
There is a downside, in that you may cause other operators to take
actions
that may lower your rate. Certain operators may feel that their superior
stations and/or favorable locations entitle them to know your callsign
where their identification skills and experience are not advanced enough
to
determine it, or enough about you to know whether to call, without
hearing
you actually sign it. They may QRM your weak, target stations by sending,
"Call?" They may work you without knowing your call, which of course, is
usually only bad if they are duplicates.
There is considerable skill involved in maximizing the benefits while
minimizing the liabilities incurred.
The callsign-signing decision may change after every contact. Factors
that
may impact the individual decisions include:
1) Do you already know the callsign of another station in your pile-up?
2) How many people are tuning the band listening, and what percentage of
them have already worked you? Have you made 10 or 5000 QSO's on the band?
3) What is your signal like in your target area?
4) Is your call EE5E or KH5K/JQ9YXJ/M?
5) Do you have an overall picture of what is going on in your pile-up?
5a) Can you say something like, "There are now 5 or 6 calling, and 3 or
so
have been there for some time. There have been no new additions to the
pile- up during the last few contacts?"
5b) Or, can you say, "One weak guy, with a long call, has been here for a
while. He sends fast and always zero beats the last station. Maybe I can
sneak him through."
5c) Or, are you simply struggling to copy callsigns, and therefore
unaware
of your pile-up structure?
Summary:
If you feel that the callsign should be signed after every contact, this
strongly indicates that your operating skills have developed to the stage
where you should indeed sign your call after every contact.
However, when you give unconditioned advice to others suggesting that
they
absolutely always do the same, note that you are primarily broadcasting
your skill level rather than giving good counsel.