Keeping the frequency clear

[John Krzymuski]

In ON4UN's interesting account of ARRL CW he mentions:

>"I used the 3 el. full-size yagi to the States, and had my 4-square 
>beaming East to tell the "pirates" to move. That was helpful. "

Is it common practice among the big contest stations to keep
competitors away like this?  I can see the point of beaming in two
directions to optimise Qso rates on simultaneously open paths, but to
use a second antenna to keep competitors away...?  Also, if output
power is split to two antennas, is the reduction in signal strength in
the prime target area outweighed by the benefits ?
John Krzymuski G4DQW

>From ni6t at ix.netcom.com (Garry Shapiro )  Wed Feb 21 11:24:22 1996
From: ni6t at ix.netcom.com (Garry Shapiro ) (Garry Shapiro )
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 03:24:22 -0800
Subject: Keeping the frequency clear
Message-ID: <199602211124.DAA16414 at ix13.ix.netcom.com>

You wrote: 
>
>In ON4UN's interesting account of ARRL CW he mentions:
>
>>"I used the 3 el. full-size yagi to the States, and had my 4-square 
>>beaming East to tell the "pirates" to move. That was helpful. "
>
>Is it common practice among the big contest stations to keep
>competitors away like this?  I can see the point of beaming in two
>directions to optimise Qso rates on simultaneously open paths, but to
>use a second antenna to keep competitors away...?  Also, if output
>power is split to two antennas, is the reduction in signal strength in
>the prime target area outweighed by the benefits ?
>John Krzymuski G4DQW
>
Welcome to the Real World, John!

A high front-to-back can be a big disadvantage if some guy in back of 
you can park on your frequency, and blow right up your skirt  and 
either disrupt your run or actually work "your" stations right through 
you. For example, a W6 running JA does not want a Texan performing that 
kind of electromagnetic sodomy upon him.

Soooo, there are several artifices occasionally employed. The fixed 
beam facing your would-be tormentors is one. A relay to open a 
reflector is another. And so on. Reducing your F/B to 10 dB from 20 dB 
puts a big signal in the other guy's face with only a small penalty to 
your own signal.

Is it ethical? I think that, if it is used to protect oneself--i.e. as 
a defensive weapon--it is probably OK. It seems a helluva lot more 
ethical than deliberate splatter or key clicks from overdriving, or 
deliberate QRM, as has been observed on more than one occasion. Not to 
mention just out-and-out bullying of smaller stations by bigger ones.

Of course, for me, it is all theoretical--I don't have multiple yagis 
and foursquares--but I'd like to :>).

Garry, NI6T

>From Richard Riley #7122" <RRILEY%ESA.bitnet at listserv.gmd.de  Wed Feb 21 18:01:32 1996
From: Richard Riley #7122" <RRILEY%ESA.bitnet at listserv.gmd.de (Richard Riley #7122)
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 96 13:01:32 EST
Subject: Frogs of the World unite!



This weekend brings us the delights of the French REF Phone Contest.

...dig out your striped T shirt..hang a string of onions
around your neck, pick up a moustache at the joke shop ....and steal
the beret from your missus and join in the fun!

OK...so we've got the "look" (a "french" word!)...now we just
need the right accent!

So...here's the "JFX Guide to QSOing in French"

We'll keep things simple on the phonetics...but be sure to respect the
following transformations:

Charlie becomes "Sharlie"
Hotel, "'otel"
Tango, "Tongo"
and Xray, "Eek-ser-ray"

Avoid further transformations...ie. if you happen to be WN4KKN/T

DO NOT USE "Waterloo Napoleon Four Kant Kwit Nuclear Testing!"
This would not be politically correct!

So that's the call...now to the report and exchange:
Lets stick to "59" only reports...

"thank you you're fifty nine" becomes
"mer-see vooz-zett sank-aunt-nough" (taking the "nough" from "enough")

Now to the exchange:
>From the rules below you'll see that a serial number is required from
DX stations.

zero  reads   "zeero"
un            "un" from "bun"
              (or impersonate Meg Ryan's performance in When HarryMet Sally)
deux          "du" from "duck"
trois         "twa" from "twang"
quatre        "cat"
cinq          "sank"
six           "cease"
sept          "set"
huit          "wheat"
neuf          "nough" (as in enough)
dix           "dease" (as in grease)

So to summarize lets look at a typical QSO:

Frog: Fox Six Kilo Baker Fox contest!

DX:   Sharlie Tongo Un Bravo Oscar Otel

Frog: CT1BOH Merci Jose!  Vous etes cinquante neuf - sept huit

DX:   Mer-see vooz-zett sank-aunt-nough - zeero cat

Frog: Quelle super accent Jose! QRZ F6KBF!

OK...boys and girls...all you need now are the rules:

************************************************************************


The rules (for stations outside: France, French overseas territories and
DA1/2) are to be found in QST and RadCom.

For those without a copy...here are the basics:


Date/time:

      0600Z Feb 24 to 1800Z Feb 25


Mode: "phone"  Bands: 80-10m


Categories:

      single-op single band

      single-op  all band

      multi-op all band



Valid QSOs:

      French stations, including overseas territories and DA1/DA2 (French
      military stations).


Exchange:

      RST and serial report.


Valid QSOs:

      1 point for QSOs within own continent

      3 points for QSOs outside own continent


Multipliers:

      (per band)

   -  French Metropolitan Departments
               (there are 96 including Corsica's 2A and 2B)

   -  DA1 and DA2
               (FFA: French Forces in Germany)

    - French Overseas Departments and Territories (within DXCC list):
              (DOM/TOM: FG,FH,FJ,FK,FM,FO,FP,FS,FT,FW,FY)

    - DXCC countries (excluding F,TK and DOM/TOM see above)

    - F6REF/00 (this REF station counts as an extra mult)


Scoring:

      Multiply the total QSO points by the sum of all multipliers.


Certificates:

      Europe:

             - top single-op (with atleast 100 QSOs)

             - top multi-op (with atleast 250 QSOs)


      and then for each other continent:

             - top single-op (with atleast 50 QSOs)

             - top multi-op (with atleast 100 QSOs)

........................................................................


I do have a copy of the complete rules (and thus for stations within
France, FFA and DOM/TOM)....but they're in French...

I look forward to hearing you this weekend!

Richard Riley
G0JFX/F5VCO ==>F6KBF this weekend

...................................
email:  rriley%esa.bitnet at vm.gmd.de
packet: G0JFX at F6KBF