W4AN is sure right about working the 3,8, and 9's on 20 meters. You could also
add the 4's around the DC area and the 2 and 1 call area.
Because of the poor conditions this weekend in WPX SSB it was almost like SS
during the day. I don't think I have worked this many stations in those call
areas on 20 meters before in my life. It was like an endless pit !!!
I even had one guy call me that was running 5 watts to some handheld HF radio
that was sitting on the beach on Long Island sound that was 30 db over S9 !!!
Just unbelievable !!!
Jeff KU8E
>
> From: Bill Coleman <aa4lr@arrl.net>
> Date: 2003/04/01 Tue PM 09:53:57 EST
> To: "Jay Pryor" <jpryor@arches.uga.edu>, <secc@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [SECC] Stupid Question - Where to point Beam?
>
> On 4/1/03 2:03 PM, Jay Pryor at jpryor@arches.uga.edu wrote:
>
> >I'd say that you should start
> >in the obvious directions. That is, toward EU in the morning of a DX
> >contest, toward JA around 4 p.m.
>
> That's where I started. However, with a tribander at 50 feet, you can't
> always hear EU or JAs -- or perhaps they can't hear you.
>
> >And for a domestic contest I usually go
> >with approximately 330 degrees.
>
> If the skip is short, like late afternoon on 20m, due north works well
> here. It goes along with Bill Fisher's comment about working 3's, 8's and
> 9's in SS. The 60 or so degree beamwidth of your typical tribander covers
> a lot of ground.
>
> >If you don't hear what you expect to hear,
> >rotate. If you hear stations you can work, stop and work 'em, as you did
> >the second night.
>
> In the 10m contest, I just happened upon the north direction by accident.
> I wasn't hearing anyone really at all. Signals were weak, but workable,
> and I enjoyed quite a run. I think 10m sometimes succumbs to the
> phenomenon where no one hears anything, so they think the band is dead.
>
> >As a low power contester I do a great deal of S&P and there was a time I
> >worried about pointing the beam toward every station I wanted to work. I'm
> >not so concerned any more. I find that if the other station has a pretty
> >decent signal they will likely hear you when you call. The exception is
> >the rare mult who has attracted a pileup. In that case it is likely worth
> >the extra time to swing the beam around.
>
> I get beat out a lot when trying to work from the side or off the back of
> the beam. It makes a big difference to turn it, but it often becomes a
> pain to swing after every QSO.
>
>
> Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL Mail: aa4lr@arrl.net
> Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
> -- Wilbur Wright, 1901
>
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