[CQ-Contest] Poaching SO2R

[Art Boyars]

I saw W4PA's reply to AH3C's suggestion on the Web at work this morning.  I don't like to use Uncle Sam's e-mail for ham radio, so I did not reply right away.  Most of what I wanted to say has been said, but I feel that I have to second some of those opinions.

Remember, first, that I myself do NOT think that SO2R should be a separate class.  If you can juggle the two radios, good for you.  Nonetheless...

The essence of SO2R is being able to interrupt your run/CQ smoothly enough to grab the QSO on the 2nd radio and get back BEFORE YOU LOSE THE CQ FREQ.  Any time you stop CQing -- for any reason -- you risk losing the freq.  Yes, the other op's do have to give you "normal" time to listen for replies, but not anything longer than that (somewhat subjective).

What, are we going to tolerate "My bagel fell on the floor; I only stopped to pick it up"?  Or, maybe, "I've been here for fifty minutes; I only stopped to go to the bathroom!"

If somebody goes "QRL?" on the CQ freq, and if you are not quick enough to interrupt the other QSO to dump in "Wait" (or .-...) on the CQ freq, then you just lost it.  And if you try to force your way back, that's deliberate interference.

So ...  Don't drop the bagel!  Get a relief tube!  Develop your SO2R hardware and skills so that you don't leave an occupiable gap on the CQ freq.  And don't take the advantage of extra hardware and operating techniques without accepting the risks.  (I challenge you all to enter my new operating class: low power, low dipole, no computer.)

73, Art K3KU