[CQ-Contest] Little Pistols running (was something else)

Scott Ellington k9ma at sdellington.us
Tue Mar 8 20:11:58 EST 2016


On 3/8/2016 16:01, Art Boyars wrote:
> K9MA (one of my W9YT buddies) asks, "But how, exactly, is a little pistol
> to procure a run frequency when every open band is packed wall to wall, and
> stacked three deep, with big guns calling CQ?"
(Hi Art!)

I didn't make my purpose in asking this very clear.  I wanted to explore 
how we might enable and encourage more mainly S&P operators to call CQ 
so we can work each other.  The crowded band conditions during the ARRL 
SSB contest last weekend provided so inspiration, as I never found a 
spot where I might have tried to start a run without being a total 
jerk.  Thankfully, it's not as bad in CW contests, though 20 meters in a 
couple years will be challenging.

Late in most any contest, there's clearly a lot of unproductive CQ 
activity going on, so wouldn't a way to make more productive use of that 
spectrum be desirable?  It could keep a lot of casual operators from 
getting bored and turning off their radios, as I know I often do.

Even with the modest number of QSO's I usually have in my log by the 
second day, my runs typically peter out after a while, to the point 
where I'm lucky to be making one QSO every one or two minutes.  At that 
point, I usually go back to S&P.  If I can't find a reasonable number of 
new contacts, I bail for a while.  One tactic I'm think of trying is, 
when it's getting slow and I'm ready to quit trying to run anyway, to 
offer the frequency to one of my callers. That's as opposed to just 
abandoning the frequency, which more than likely will quickly be claimed 
by a big gun.  It won't guarantee my last caller can hold the frequency, 
but at least it gives him/her a chance.  Any suggestions on how to get 
that message across on CW? "UR FREQ"?

73,

Scott  K9MA

> Answer:
>
> 1. Move to the east coast.
> 2. Don't bother with 'phone DX tests.
>
> After that, stay on the edges of the fray and don't call any of the big
> guns.  Eventually they will call you.
>
> Of course, you might not maximize your score that way, but if you like
> running then you might maximize your fun.
>
> 73, Art K3KU
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-- 
Scott Ellington  K9MA
Madison, Wisconsin, USA

k9ma at sdellington.us



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