[CQ-Contest] The Calling Disease... (split operation)

[Jack/W6NF]

On 11/28/2011 10:41 AM, Collins, Graham wrote:
> This was the first time I encountered split operation in a contest. In fact I stumbled across at least three different split operations. I didn't manage to get my pip squeak signal heard in any of the ensuing mass of signals.
>
> To be fair, the three operations I heard where high up from the bottom edge of the band well away from the usual masses.
>
> However, many callers did not hear the ops tell the callers "up 1" (or whatever) and persisted in calling on the stations frequency at times covering up who was working split and where to call. It also seemed that the stations working split didn't specify "up 1" often enough, certainly not every time they id'ed. I got caught with one of the split operations; it took over 5 minutes of listening before I heard the station send "up 1" and another couple of minutes finally hear their call through the many calling stations.
>
> All in all these split ops seemed to cause an interesting mess and I am sure a lot of frustrated callers.
>
> Just imagine the mess if there where half a dozen BIG and loud contest stations working split "up 2" - it would cover 20+ Khz of band making it almost useless for anyone else.
>
> If there was call for votes or a poll I think I would tend to discourage split operations in a contest.
>
> Cheers, Graham ve3gtc
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of w9xt at unifiedmicro.com
> Sent: November 28, 2011 12:54
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] The Calling Disease... (split operation)
>
> I probably worked 8-10 stations working split this weekend. Usually it is
> maybe a single station in a contest weekend.
>
> Working split is fine for DXpeditions as long as the listening range is
> reasonable. I am concerned if it becomes commonplace in contests.
>
> A pile up on CW might be 500 Hz wide or so. Going split can use a couple
> of hundred Hz for the DX station plus maybe 1 KHz or more for the callers
> and some space between them. Frequencies are tight on some bands and I
> don't want to encourage stations taking more than one slot.
>
> Should we discourage split operation in contests except when frequency
> allocations don't line up? I think we should.
>
> 73
> Gary, W9XT
> www.w9xt.com
>
>
>> For the first time that I can remember (and I've been playing this game
>> for
>> a very long time), DX stations were going split in WW so they could be
>> heard.  It didn't stop the calling but at least you had a chance to hear
>> who
>> the DX was coming back to.
>>
>> Pete, W1RM
>
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One station just simply sent "up" with no direction as to how far. I 
figured it out by finding the din of signals, almost a kHz wide.

I was guilty of not hearing the up...mostly because of very strong 
stations send calls, instantly, after the DX call was sent. I finally 
heard one of the cops send "up" the I listened more closely to the DX 
station. Oops...

W6SX has committed to not working any station that runs split in a 
contest. If enough of us do that it will, hopefully, kill the practice.

-- 
Jack, W6NF
Silver Springs, NV
DM09ji