[CQ-Contest] SO2R Technique

Tue Aug 8 12:27:58 EDT 2006

But at what point do you "lose" the frequency when you jump to the other rig?

I will agree that if you're making a quick (stress:  "quick") jump back & forth, especially on CW at a decent speed, you probably will not be gone from the primary frequency more than a few (less than 30, probably less than 20) seconds.  So a considerate contester who happens on the temporarily vacant frequency should call "QRL?" or whatever, by which time you're back.  Fair enough.

However... if it's more than 30 seconds or so, what's a reasonable time to wait?  Remember, the person who's listening on the original run frequency may have no idea that you're SO2R and are jumping back and forth (after all, how could they know?).  For all they know, you've permanently QSY'd from the original frequency, or taken a break, or suffered a rig failure, or who knows what.

This same thing can (and often does) happen when you're happily calling "CQ" on Band 'A,' someone asks you to QSY quickly to Band 'B' to get your QSO on that band, and you agree.  In many cases, by the time you punch up the other VFO, punch in the frequency, QSY and make the contact, significant time (again, over 30 seconds) has gone past.  

Either way, consider the poor slob who THINKS he's found a clear frequency, QRL'd with no response, has begun CQ'ing and even worked a few stations.  Is it now reasonable or fair to him that you suddenly pop back on frequency after the short absence, and demand that HE leave so that you can have your run frequency back?  Worse, after he reasonably states something to the effect that you were gone, and no one replied to his QRL? -- should you now try to push him off frequency by overpowering or QRM'ing him, just because you can?  (Unlike some on this reflector, I do NOT believe that might makes right and anything not prohibited is acceptable, but that's another story for another time.)

Yes, I know, sometimes things happen in the heat of the moment that you later regret, mistakes happen, propagation shifts, and so forth:  Stuff happens. 

Still:  I maintain that a considerate contester who is either running SO2R or 'temporarily' QSY'ing to another frequency, for whatever reason, runs the risk of losing the 'temporarily' vacated frequency, and must not only ACCEPT that risk but be willing to ACCEPT losing the frequency when gone for any significant length of time.

...and one thing to consider, something that I see every year in many of the smaller/regiional contests (such as the PA QSO Party) is this situation -- which solves the problem pretty neatly, IMHO (YMMV):

-- AA1ABC from NA2DEF, you're 59
-- QSL the 59, you're also 59.  Hey, can we work you on 28.495?
-- Sure, be there in a moment.  AA4GHI from NA2DEF, still there?
-- Yes!  You're 59 here.
-- You're also 59.  Hey, I need to go to 28.495 for a few minutes, want to run the frequency until I'm back?

In this scenario, everyone knows that NA2DEF will be right back, the frequency is not left temporarily vacated, AA4GHI gets a few minutes to switch from S&P to Run & make some more Q's... no hassles, no problems, everyone wins.

73, ron w3wn

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Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 11:53:26 -0400 (EDT)
From: sawyered at earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] SO2R Technique
To: guy_molinari at hotmail.com
Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com

A great question and one that has no "fixed" answer.  I can only offer comment for myself.

First of all, I NEVER use auto CQ.  It keeps me awake in the middle of the night for one.  Secondly, the timing of SO2R is always changing and an AUTO CQ, just doesn't fit in my opinion.  I hit F1, when the timing is right...all the time.  Sometimes the timing is right after someone is showing up on your frequency.  Sometimes the timing is waiting quite a while during the radio 2 pick-off of a Q.  All the time, I am monitoring the CQ frequency.  There are times where holding your run frequency is SO Important that you simply cannot risk losing it to a second radio Q (unless maybe it is a double mult in CQ WW).

The answer to losing your run frequency during SO2R (again in my opinion) is a combination of the following:

- be aware of this fluid timing by NOT using Auto CQ.
- if someone makes even a "dit" on your run frequency, abandon the second radio Q and immediately fit F1 (at least twice).  This means the second radio guy is going "?" and wonders where you went.
- You need to know whether to fight or change on the run frequency "grab".  Know if you are LOUD.  I am pretty loud in EU and I am not going to lose a run freq battle too much of the time (especially if the grabber knows that he just jumped on me).  But a few years ago if I didn't get someone to move with a few tries, I would move.  It is important to know where you stand on this.  Most, not all, will move if they know that they jumped in and your signal is loud enough to prevent them from doing a good run.  Keep in mind that the tighter your filters are the easier this method is.

Have fun.

Ed  N1UR