[CQ-Contest] How to start a run

[Jim Brown]

On Sat,8/20/2016 3:37 PM, Timothy Holmes wrote:
> I am wondering how to properly get a run going.  I have tried sitting on a
> frequency and calling CQ.  Never got more than 1 contact. So what should I
> be doing

That's pretty much what you have to do, but success depends on lots of 
things, like the strength of your signal relative to others and to other 
folks noise level, band conditions, and QRM.

The best panadapters can help find a clear frequency if they show enough 
detail and a long enough time in the waterfall (at least two minutes). 
On the higher bands, there will always be stations you can't hear 
because you're within the skip zone, so you need to study the waterfall 
for a while to see stations working them.

For example, I did a lot of running today, but rarely kept it going for 
very long because QRM from my skip zone on 20/15, or at the other end on 
40/80 would kill it, and I'd have to QSY. I've got a pretty good antenna 
farm, but a ridge hurts me on 20/15. The better your antenna farm, the 
easier it is to run.

73, Jim K9YC