[CQ-Contest] Your DX Spots during the ARRL SSB DX Contest

[Mats Strandberg]

In CW I gladly try Run even with a small pistol station, but being on the
eastern side of the EU wall, trying to keep a Run frequency with 1 kW and a
reasonably effective yagi antenna is VERY hard (that will say on 15-80
meters).  If 10 meters was open to the US, this would be a good band for a
small pistol to try some Run operation.

I did try, and succeeded a few times to keep Run frequencies on those bands
mentioned above, but sooner of later, an alligator (mostly from Europe)
will either jump directly on the frequency and steal it - or same type of
stations will place themselves 1-2 kHz away, with dirty amps and use the
fact that the station above is cleaner and less wide, and subsequently will
not disturb his 3 kW+ station.

I think this was my last attempt to work ARRL SSB from Moscow with my
relatively good but small setup. It simply becomes S&P at least 80-90% of
the time. ARRL CW is more fun and it is possible usually to find a Run
frequency (and keep it) somewhere high up on the bands.

If US stations would spot us smaller pistols a little more frequently, one
would in the best of times be able to keep the Run frequency for good runs
in 150-200+ rates. Without repeated spots (every 5 or 10 minutes), the risk
to be calling lonely without replies becomes evident, and some alligator
make use of the "free" frequency and just grab it in front of your nose...
That is the common life of a small pistol (kW with 2 or 3 element
monobander at 18 meters up) in Eastern part of Europe.

73 de Mats RM2D




2016-03-08 7:42 GMT+03:00 Stephen Bloom <sbloom at acsalaska.net>:

> It's easy for me to say since in most contests ..I'm a Mult that people
> want
> ..but I do think the little pistols should try running ..more than they do
> ..especially later in contests ..or slow times in general.  If you are
> operating in an assisted class ...during CW and RTTY contests ..call CQ and
> see what you hit on the Reverse Beacon Network and how strong.  Assuming
> you
> ping anything ..call CQ for awhile ..even if you don't get instant answers.
> All it takes is one spot.  It's tougher on SSB of course because you are
> relying on being spotted ...but people will tune ..and again ..all it takes
> is one spot.  Almost all of us are automated enough to have a Run CQ Loop.
> The closest thing for me is NAQP SSB ...where we're at a real disadvantage
> up here ...especially on the Low Bands ..but even then ...sooner or later
> someone hears us.  I wouldn't encourage S&P only categories ...because I
> think that will end up creating fewer Qs ..not more.  What I *would*
> suggest
> is that lower power guys try running higher up in the band  ..it's what we
> do up here at the times where we know everyones antenna is pointed in the
> other direction.
>
> 73
> Steve KL7SB
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> Scott Ellington
> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 1:18 PM
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Your DX Spots during the ARRL SSB DX Contest
>
> On 3/7/2016 13:59, Barry N1EU wrote:
> > And I'll repeat once more:  We need an S&P only category in the major
> > dx contests!  Give folks a viable option if they choose to avoid all
> > the out-muscling, splattering/key-clicking infringement,
> > might-is-right experience of running.
> It would be nice, with or without the S&P category, if there were some way
> for all the S&P operators to work each other.  It gets really boring later
> in the contest tuning the band over and over, hearing the same dupes.
>
> 73,
>
> Scott  K9MA
>
> --
> Scott Ellington  K9MA
> Madison, Wisconsin, USA
>
> k9ma at sdellington.us
>
> _______________________________________________
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>
> _______________________________________________
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>