[CQ-Contest] More contesting tips and tricks

[ah3c at frii.com]

My favorite movie of all time is "High Road to China".  There is one scene
that demonstrates the value of patience in knocking out the "big gun".

Try this some time:

It's Sunday morning and 20M is wide open.  The band is wall-to-wall with
big signals calling CQ and making occasional Q's.  Their rate has dropped
below 60/hr and the majority are Single Op.  Many are SO2R.  As you pause
to listen to a station you haven't worked, don't call until you hear that
sudden stop in the middle of the CQ.  Now, this is your opportunity to
make 2 Q's in the next minute.  Call CQ.  If you're lucky someone will
come back to you before the big gun returns.  He will hear you in the
middle of a qso and realize he hasn't worked you before.  He will likely
wait for you to complete your Q and then call you for another S&P Q
himself.  He now has just made 2 Q's, you have made 2 Q's, and if he is a
true gentleman, he will look for another frequency to turn on his CQ
machine again.

In other words, the "big gun" helped you punch a nice hole for you to be
heard.  After all, a 60/hr rate is pretty good for a "little pistol", even
if it's only for 20 or 30 minutes.

Like DXers, little pistols must have patience to achieve their goals...

73,
Pete
W0RTT