[CQ-Contest] N6TJ AXIOMS OF LIFE

[Bill Coleman]

On Jul 17, 2010, at 9:40 PM, Andy Faber wrote:

> The worst offenders, are the big USA  multi stations that seem to jump 
> instantly on any packet spot.  If you ignore them, because you know they are 
> a dupe, then they just keep calling until you --again--
> put them in the log, no matter how carefully you send your call over and
> over.  Most of them simply seem not to listen.

As a some-time operator at NQ4I over the last 10 or 12 years, I can understand half of this. At a M/M, if a band is open, you've got at least one or two operators on the band. One will be running, the other will be searching for multipliers, or just plain contacts of any kind. This second operator, the mult operator, will be using any possible source for contacts, including the cluster. If anything interesting is spotted, you can bet the mult operator will jump right on it.

The second part, however, I don't get. A good operator verifies all packet spots BEFORE calling. This is often a frustrating experience when the DX decides to identify every second Tuesday. It's made worse by poor operators who continue to call and call and call when the DX is obviously working someone else.  

Any M/M is pretty well-equipped, so they'll often be the first to work a new spot, for sure. But, there's no point in racing to work a spot unless you've verified it is actually something new.

--

There is one mitigating factor here. I have experienced it a few times -- sometimes the DX stations have something amiss with their keying. Even if they are signing their calls, they may not be sending the same thing every time. 

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