Hi all,
As the person who did the majority of the running (and I use that word
loosely given the conditions) on 160m at W3LPL this weekend, I think
some explanation is in order.
I did work a number of US stations during the contest, in fact every
single one that called me so I didn't ignore them. It's quicker to work
them instead of trying to argue about it and hope it doesn't result in a
string of other zero pointers calling.
Now, in the case of Mike W0BTU, it's very possible it took a few calls
for me to figure out which direction I needed to listen. Consider that
I was using Franks new 8-circle receive array, which has a much sharper
and cleaner pattern than the Beverages we used to use, and that I was
most likely listening towards EU at the time. When listening towards
EU, callers off the back side of this new array are attenuated a LOT!
Combine that with a relatively high QRN level due to the storms running
up through the North East, ie the direction I was listening, and the
fact I wouldn't be expecting callers off the back side when I'm
listening to EU, and it's not really surprising it took a few calls for
me to figure out that I needed to listen in the opposite direction.
Thanks to everyone who persisted with lots of repeats over the weekend
to make some very difficult Q's on 160m.
Vy 73,
Andrew AC6WI / GI0NWG
On 17/02/14 13:46, Jim Bennett wrote:
I'd like to add my .02 to this thread, as an observer.
There certainly are two sides to the story. The folks running "big gun"
stations on top band in the contest are out there trying to garner points to win the
contest, or at least their state/power level/section or whatever. So, I can almost
understand their reluctance to answer a domestic caller. But on the other hand, maybe
they ought to think about WHY that domestic station is calling him/her. Lack of rule
knowledge. Perhaps. But maybe, just maybe that person calling has just gotten the station
or antenna operational and is trying to see if others are hearing him/her well enough to
make a contact. Or maybe the person is struggling to complete an award and needs your
state or your county. On 160 meters, that is certainly a possibility.
Is it going to kill you to answer the other person? Will the world come to an
end if you do? Probably not. Are you going to create a huge pileup if you
answer a domestic caller? Really.....? Sure, there are people operating in the
contest who don't know that the contact is worthless -in the contest- but maybe
that contact is NOT worthless to him or her.
Let's have a little compassion and understanding for others in ham radio who
are not operating exactly as you'd want them to.
Jim / W6JHB
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