[CQ-Contest] contesting tips

[Jim Reisert AD1C]

At 12:25 PM 1/30/2004, Hanlon, Steve wrote:

>recently i was reading some tips about working different bands.  one of 
>the more notable concerned the correct way to search a band.  conventional 
>wisdom is to start at the bottom of the band and work up, but on SSB, the 
>writer stated that technique needed to be corrected.  If working USB, 
>tuning from the bottom increased the time to find the correct frequency 
>and it was better to work from the top down.

I suggest one tune from the top to the bottom, *especially* if you're not 
as experienced. There tends to be less QRM and more people begging for QSOs 
near the top of any contest band, CW or SSB.  You'll have an easier time 
making QSOs.  As you gain more experience making these QSOs, you're tuning 
down the band, where things tend to get more crowded, and harder to work. 
In other words, "ease yourself" into the more competitive part of the band, 
rather than jumping straight into the deep end!

Furthermore, the guys at the bottom of the band tend to be the large 
multi-multis who have been and will be there all weekend.  Newcomers to a 
band have to find a hole to call CQ, and that tends to be higher up in the 
band, rather than near the bottom.  In other words, you can predict who's 
going to be at the bottom of the band, and you've probably already worked 
them if you needed to.

73 - Jim AD1C


-- 
Jim Reisert AD1C, 7 Charlemont Court, North Chelmsford, MA 01863
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