[CQ-Contest] Consider This

[Bill Coleman]

On 4/23/02 7:11 PM, Leigh S. Jones, KR6X at kr6x at kr6x.com wrote:

>Only those who are already scoring
>near the top of the listings would consider spending the extra
>money for a second transceiver, a second amplifier, any
>filters required, etc., and then doing the extra work of
>separating feedlines, stacked antennas, and system grounds
>plus running the extra radio interface cables from the logging
>computer to the transceivers. 

Seems like this is a mis-conception as well. Why do the two stations have 
to be equal? Consider - to get benefit from SO2R, do you really need a 
top-of-the-line transceiver? Do you really need a second amplifier? Do 
you really need equivalent antennas for both stations?

If you already have a very competitive contest station -- do you really 
need to double it for SO2R? I don't think so. There's several scenarios.

Consider:

A) The second radio will be used virtually exclusively for S & P. Do you 
need an amplifier for this? Seems one could make virtually the same 
number of QSOs barefoot S & P as one could with an amp. And if there's 
some important multiplier to be had, perhaps bringing radio one to bear 
might be worth the trouble.

B) Since you're not calling CQ, aren't you less likely to be digging out 
really weak callers on the second radio? Perhaps you don't need such an 
elaborate transceiver, or big stacks of antennas. Perhaps just adding a 
single tribander and a couple of dipoles would be sufficient, or even one 
of those multi-band vertical dummy loads might work. (W4AN used an R5 for 
second radio practice) A second-hand radio might do passibly well, or 
perhaps a miniature mobile rig. (K4OGG moves his mobile HF radio to the 
shack for contests)

C) Can you leverage your existing antenna system? W4AN didn't add a 
single antenna to run SO2R at his superstation. Why? He's got a single 
feedline for each band. Antennas are easily switched from one radio to 
the other. If you already have monoband antennas on every band, you don't 
need more antennas.

--

I'm working to add SO2R operation to my very modest station on a tight 
budget. I have no amplifier(s). I'm looking to improve my low-power 
scores. I recently built a K2 (which will become a K2-100 soon), and 
already have an old TS-430S.  At low power, I don't appear to need any 
filters. Antennas are modest -- an A3S at 49.5', 80m doublet, 40m sloper, 
R7000. 

I refuse to believe that my modest SO2R configuration is somehow so 
competitive that SO1R operators don't stand a chance and need to be moved 
to another category. 

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901