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Topband: KH6ZM Pileup and Operating Manners

To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Topband: KH6ZM Pileup and Operating Manners
From: Bill Tippett <btippett@alum.mit.edu>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 13:37:10 -0500
List-post: <mailto:topband@contesting.com>
        Eric, the behavior of the pileup depends on the DX station too!
Here is what KH6ZM could have done to make things better:

1.  Operate split by at least 1 kHz and preferably 2 kHz, depending on
the size of the pileup.  Then Max would not have been covered by simplex
callers.  The band was virtually empty otherwise so Max should have
instantly gone split when he heard more than a few callers.

2.  If for some reason he really wanted to operate simplex, such as in contests
where split might not be practical, he should have taken simplex QRM into
account.  Instead of replying "K8LV 599 599 K" he should have sent "K8LV 599
599 K8LV K".  Many exchanges were covered by simplex callers at the
beginning of his exchanges which were inevitably responded to with "?" which
required complete repeats since nobody knew who he was responding to.

        In my opinion, pileup behavior is more determined by the DX operator
than it is by the manners of the callers.  If the DX encourages bad behavior by
poor operating practices, it brings out the worst in people.  DL3DXX, DK7PE,
F5CW, JA5DQH and other excellent low band operators know how to bring
out the best in all of us.  Today was the strongest I've ever heard Max so I'm
sure he will learn from the experience and improve his pileup management
skills.  YI9ZF was making similar errors in pileup management last week so
I suggested Kas always use split, preferably by at least 2 kHz next time.

73, Bill W4ZV
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