While I agree with much of what you say in principle, it is almost
impossible to make contacts on the higher (microwave) bands with out making
schedules. It is hard enough with the schedule! Speaking for myself and
the W4NH crew wich I am a member of, we generally don't make a lot of
schedules for the lower bands (50 - 432 MHz). Not that we have a
philosophical problem with making schedules, we just haven't found them to
be that productive. A lot of folks miss the schedule and many times we end
up working them anyway. We will work schedules if someone asks but we don't
solicit them. As you said, we have found that having good equipment, good
location, good operators and just sitting in front of the rig calling CQ and
tuning around gets the job done.
73
Jim, W4KXY
-----Original Message-----
From: vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of George Fremin III
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 10:38 AM
To: k4gun@comcast.net
Cc: VHF contesting list
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] VHF sked alternative
On Thu, Jan 24, 2008 at 09:50:44PM +0000, k4gun@comcast.net wrote:
> In examining how I did in the recently completed VHF contest, I keep
> hearing a similar comment from people. There were a lot of people
> looking for me when I was in a couple of rare grids, but I never heard
> them. One was a specific sked and the others were just "I'll find
> you" appointments. I'm still unsure what happened. Either my
> antennas were not up to the task or we all just barely missed each
> other. More than likely, it was a combination of both of those.
In all contests - people miss working mults on various bands - this happens
in HF contests and VHF contests. The folks that tend to work more
multipliers and more contacts tend to be the ones that work harder at it in
various ways.
- They stay in the chair.
- They tune the bands.
- They move or switch between antennas for different directions.
- They call a lot of CQs.
- They have better antennas and signals.
- They have operated many many contests and learned from their
experiences and gained knowledge of callsigns and operating
habits of the other stations.
- Much of what they have learned has become second nature to them.
I am sure I could expand on this list - the most important is the first one
- you will not work that rover in that grid that you need off eating dinner
or watching TV or mowing the lawn while he is calling CQ. You need to be
sitting in front of the radio operating the contest during the contest
period. My guess is that this would improve most stations VHF scores more
than just about anything.
One of the things about the VHF contest culture that I have never really
understood is this need / desire to make skeds, or have some sort of
spotting via APRS or even via telephone (still happens via telephone) or
some other prearranged or automated means for making contacts happen.
Why can't we just get on the radio and call CQ and tune the bands answering
CQs and make contacts. This is how I have been doing it for years and I
think the results have been pretty good. My results would be even better if
everyone else did this too and for more of the contest period and in more
directions - all of our scores would be better.
I love doing radio contests - I have been doing them for a long time - and
the thrill of getting called out of the blue by some week DX station or
tuning the band listening to white noise and hearing that station 500 miles
away is what keeps me coming back - it is fun.
Sure, it would be easier to make skeds or call him on the phone or send him
an IM message - but that kills most of the fun.
I have rambled on a bit, but I guess the bottom line for all of the stations
in the contest is - operate more, CQ more, tune the bands more and you will
make more contacts with more grids we all will.
I will close with one real example of how important it is to stay in the
chair and to make noise and to tune the bands.
I was operating the june vhf contest one year in a multi op. It was Sunday
afternoon - things were very very slow on all the bands above 6 meters. The
2m and up op had been working hard but he got up to go get something to eat
and drink. I was not operating and I think he might have said something to
the effect that the bands were tough pretty much worked out. But, I
thought, I will sit down just because the chair is empty. I tuned around
and indeed it did not sound very good - but I kept at it for a few minutes.
All of the sudden there was a very strong K3 station on 2 meters. I called
and worked him - it was Eskip and a new mult. I tuned quickly and heard no
one else.
I called CQ and in the next 8 minutes or so I worked 13 stations in 11 new
grids and then the band closed.
Stay in the chair and make noise.
Good luck in the next contest.
--
George Fremin III - K5TR
geoiii@kkn.net
http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr
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