[CQ-Contest] Popgun Sprint SSB thoughts

[Jack Brindle]

Actually I found being second to have benefits. I found that everal BIG signals would come back to my CQs, resulting in a lot of non-understandable QRM with nothing to pick out. Then a weak station would come through immediately when they finished. Of course the weak station, in the clear, or partially so, got the ball. It took some time to figure this out, but after I did the contest got a LOT more fun.

But oh boy getting that jump ball in the midst of the big boys sure was difficult.

73!
Jack B, W6FB

> On Feb 1, 2015, at 8:23 AM, Art Boyars <artboyars at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> It's well-known that being weak on SSB is more of a disadvantage than being
> weak on CW.  My humbling experience last night makes me think it's even
> worse in SSB Sprint than in a "regular" contest where running is allowed.
> 
> Anybody care to comment on, or add to, these thoughts:
> 
> 1. In Sprint your signal is competing with the (same) loud ones, over and
> over, as the circus moves from band to band, and the pool of loud signals
> does not have time to deplete.
> 
> 2. In Sprint, being first thru the pileup is much more important -- you
> CAN'T be second.*
> 
> 3. In Sprint, small signals can't move to the edge of the fray to CQ; the
> edges seem to be too dynamic.
> 
> 4. In Sprint, there are no stable little holes where small signals can CQ
> for a while.  (Similar to #3)
> 
> (And, of course, Sprint has no "fresh meat" effect that could help a
> popgun.)
> 
> All this applies to Sprint CW, but I think the effect is stronger on SSB.
> 
> *Actually, I was second -- or third, maybe even fourth -- in some pileups.
> I'd get beat out to original CQer, but the winner was also a new QSO so I
> waited; sometimes more than one cycle.  For me that was as fast as trying
> to tune in a new SSB signal.  I'll have to practice if I want to improve.
> 
> 73, Art K3KU
> Who worked DC, LAB, NF and NB (but almost missed PA!)
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