[CQ-Contest] Watch that main radio while SO2R...

[Jim George]

Interesting issue that is getting more and more relevant with SO2R and the
competitive pressure for multipliers.  I lost my run frequencies several
times on the ARRL CW weekend when I moved off to move another station, and
there were several times that we moved twice for three banders.  When I got
back, the frequency usually was still OK, but 10-20% of the time another
station had picked it up and I had lost it.  Fortunately, on CW, run freqs
are easier to find.  They are tougher to replace and more valuable on SSB!


Personally, I will not contest losing a freq in these circumstances when I
was the one to have left the run frequency.  It's part of the competitive
trade off.  On the other hand, if I have found a freq and the former
"owner" returns after I am established, it's mine, and I will not release
it if it is clear to me that I did due-diligence.  If the former "owner"
wants to fight it out, then the station with the better propagation/antenna
will win.  However I have found that once you are a veteran, and know a lot
of the guys, they will honor the fact that you are there.  If I tell the
station that "sorry Joe, I have been here two minutes and have made four
QSOs. The freq is in use."  That works 90% of the time.  If the other
station is a poor sport, and wants to take it under those circumstances,
that's considered poor sportsmanship, and the bigger names usually don't
allow that to happen.  I have reported a couple of bad apples to the big
M/Ms and they usually take care of this conduct.

Jim



Interesting incident during the ARRL Phone on 15m early this morning.
 >
 >Decided it was time to do some CQing.  Found a completely open frequency.
 >(nothing but band noise)  Asked whether it was in use.  Response: 2 seconds
 >of band noise.  Ask again.  Again, response: 2 seconds of band noise.
 >
 >Call CQ & begin running.  (unfortunately not at a very good rate<g>)  About
 >5 minutes later, a W1 shows up & starts insisting it's his frequency.
 >
 >Two possible explanations:
 >
 >1.  He was off chasing a 2nd radio QSO & didn't listen on his run
 >frequency during the six seconds or so I spent trying to determine whether
 >it was occupied.
 >
 >2.  Incredibly directional antenna and no backscatter.
 >
 >Moral of the story is: if you're going to be SO2R, you *must* either pay
 >attention to your first radio during your Radio 2 QSOs, or you *must* be
 >prepared to find a new run frequency.  SO2R makes run frequencies scarcer;
 >people are getting less likely to surrender run spectrum they legitimately
 >believed was unoccupied.
 >--
 >Doug Smith W9WI
 >Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
 >http://www.w9wi.com
 >Due to excessive spam, messages from uu.net are deleted unread.
 >
 >
 >--
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