[CQ-Contest] Packet Pileups -> Breaking Pileups

[K3BU at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/30/2000 10:08:07 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
steinman at nortelnetworks.com writes:

> 
>  Don't call ZERO BEAT with me!!! When the pileup gets big I start to [TRY]
>  QSX up 200-300 Hz. Do I announce it? No! But I wish more people figured it
>  out.... 


Part of the "problem" is that most of today's radios are so good with 
accurate frequency generating schemes, that when the packet spot says 
21.034.5 they all line up almost dead zero beat with each other at 21.034.5. 
I was also surprised how many stations were dead zero beat, to the point that 
signal was just one blur, same tone. It used to be that everybody had their 
own offsets and dial accuracy, that caused natural spread and allowed ear 
filtering. Nowadays packeteers blur and QRM themselves making it hard even 
for Jeff :-)  
    Typical scenario: you get two stations dead zero beat, about the same 
strength. You catch one letter from their call. You say Z kn, but you keep 
getting the same blur for a while (they both don't have Z). Finally you nail 
the ..Z, then you find the other disappeared. Had time to QRM but no time to 
wait 5 more seconds to exchange report (or maybe he "worked" you?) or wait if 
he is not ..Z and allow quick QSO and work you. Noooo, it is better to try to 
muscle over, and if not succeeded, the heck with you. (Gotta be first! :-)
    The problem is you can't even pick the letter, if you wait for the last 
one, by then pileup "figured it" out and there is no end to it, everybody 
wants to be the last one. 
Gentle(wo)men would throw their call once and respond ONLY if the letter 
requested is in their call and not whole QRZ CD endlessly calling :-) 
    So turn your XIT ON to your personal offset or just give the dial a whack 
few tens of Hz and make one call and wait your turn (please ?) makes it 
easier for both sides.
    Another argument for turning the packet off for contests?

Yuri, K3BU
Tesla RC N2EE


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