Hi Jason,
I had hoped you'd get more replies to your submission. I have the same
problem with understanding how to balance run and mult time. I remember back
in the early 70's the last 3 or 4 hours of 48 hour contests were different
because all the big runners used to then start looking for mults they'd
missed. Now, with packet, multi-multi, SO2R, etc. you can have a big station
just run and run, and he'll have the mults 'fed' to him by some means other
than leaving his run freq. But the poor old SOAB is still SOAB.
I do wonder if sometimes the 'so-called' unassisted stations are using the
cluster in some passive way. I have heard SOAB stations running, and then I
suddenly hear them in a pile up on the same band. How did they know? Two
radios possibly, but on the same band? I run two radios and it's not that
easy to run seriously fast and mult with the other ear. I would think that a
large proportion of ops were physically incapable of it. And you can't
really run two radios on one band. A slow run, when the band is not quite
open or closing, and a jerky sort of top to bottom tune of another band, is
only just possible. And even then, if you catch a good mult you have to
concentrate on calling it, in spite of perhaps a voice keyer continuing to
call on the run band. I'll probably get flamed by all the ambidextrous ops
with fighter pilot aptitude, who run 3 radios, while making a coffee, and
talking to their buddy on the phone. And still win.
There's a lot involved. The response that suggested using very effective
(and large) antennas is probably closest to the answer I guess. You need a
really big amp too. Glass is useless - ceramic is good. That way you are
really loud, and you just call. Then perhaps most of the juicy mults who
know what they're doing will call you anyway. They'll certainly be able to
hear you. Let them do the work!
It's just my view, for what it's worth :-)
Good luck.
Stewart GM4AFF/GM0F
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