The standard of 160 metre operating by we Europeans is sinking even
lower, to the point where co-channel working by DX stations is all but
impossible. Any slightly-rare station that appears on the band answering
CQs results in the whole band from 1820 to 1840 being filled every few
hundred Hz with stations madly calling CQ, covering up any other DX with
the resultant clicks and carrier noise.
If the DX station has the temerity to stand still and call CQ, then
immediately what seems like several hundred stations begin calling
incessantly, and there is never a gap in the transmissions for anyone to
listen.
The game seems to be to send your callsign lots of times, then listen and
check to see if the channel is clear, then immediately call again if
someone else is still sending. If nobody is sending the you must send
your callsign again anyway and repeat the process until it is several
minutes since anyone has heard the DX.
Next part of the performance is that the DX sends a partial call like
G4D?? and this is the cue for about a third of all the stations calling
to start the same process of call/listen/start calling again because
someone else is still sending (or not sending), all over again. This
phase of the game is characterised once more by the objective of being,
at all costs, the last person still sending.
Eventually, the third phase starts, with the pile-up police helping
everyone out with helpful comments and ensuring that the DX still cannot
be heard. If by some fluke the DX station succeeds in being heard then
the third phase of the game is ruined.
As tempers flare and the language used becomes somewhat intemperate, a
sudden change in the rules takes place as everyone remembers that the
original point of the game was to work this DX station, so everyone
listens for two seconds.
This is always very carefully timed to occur just as the DX station is
sending "599 bk".
It is vital that nobody hears the actual callsign being sent, otherwise
that person has to send 5nn tu and leave the game. At this point they
may choose to become a policeman to assist others in prolonging the game.
In order to maintain momentum, several players should immediately send
their callsigns, followed by "5nn 5nn tu" or similar. The DX station
should respond to this by sending "QRZ?" or just "?". Advanced players
will realise that the three callers are in fact bluffing and thus the
second and third phases are repeated, prompted by the police sending RX?
or LID or another suitable phrase. This is the cue for the remaining
players to resume sending, and the game continues in this loop until
about ten minutes after the DX station has left the arena for greener
pastures, complaining of QRM and lack of activity.
Any DX station trying to work EU on 160 and not working split must enjoy
suffering. Starting to work co-channel and then going split once the
pileup appears to be getting out of control is a recipe for disaster.
The initial cluster spots will not say split and will take several
minutes to propagate throughout the whole EU system. The DX station's
instructions will not be heard once the pileup reaches this level as
there will be no gaps in sending at all (I am not kidding here, it is
truly amazing to listen to!)
Working up 1kHz is very popular, but that usually puts your pileup on top
of another DX station and allows the clicks and noise from all those
kilowatts to flatten even the toughest front ends.
May I humbly suggest a solution to this problem and also to another
serious problem we have in EU? A bunch of extremely ill-mannered OZ
stations and a few friends in other countries have taken to creating
deliberate QRM to the CW DX band by talking incessantly with no callsigns
on 1837 every evening.
Landing a huge pileup on 1834 and up will eventually persuade them to go
away (although they then tend to move to 1832, which is even worse of
course).
If the DX stations send on a frequency in the 1826-1833 area and listen
on 1835-1838, then we will have a much better chance of hearing you in
this very hostile radio environment, and in addition persuade these
militant chaps to take their argument with the Danish FCC elsewhere. A
simple way used to good effect by a lot of successful DX operators is to
work on 1826-28 and listen ten up.
Another tip for DX stations trying to work EU is to avoid the spot
frequencies 1825, 1827 and 1836 as there are big carriers on those
channels much of the time and the incessant CQ machines usually sit on
the integer kilohertz. Working on 25.5, 26.5, 27.5 etc really does make
for much more successful operations (the 1827/1836 carriers seem to be
broadcast station mixing products and vary a lot according to location).
A DX station may only be hearing a few stations in the pile, but rest
assured, there will be many many others using small antennas and low
power who are putting S9+ signals into everyones receivers, and others
with big signals who cannot hear the DX but are calling anyway. With
openings often being very short, anything that speeds up the rate can
only be good for 160 operating standards and a general reduction in blood
pressure.
A brief listen to one of the DXpedition operating masters (they know who
they are, I shall not embarrass them by identification here) should be
compulsory for all DX ops who are brave or foolish enough to expose
themselves to the ravages of the EU LF ratpack. Even such a simple thing
as sending the callsign of the station you are working before AND AFTER
the 5nn when the pile gets out of hand is a great way to get back in
control.
Please pass this on to any DX stations you know who might not realise
just how utterly appalling the standards of operating have become and
just what the radio environment on 160 is like here in Europe.
Especially if they are in Zone 31, Zone 23, Utah or South Dakota!!!!
Neil G4DBN/AA1EG g4dbn@cix.compulink.co.uk
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