[CQ-Contest] New SO2R trick?

[Jim Brown]

On 12/7/2018 8:48 AM, AB2E Darrell wrote:
> I'm annoyed as well. If I call qrl twice with no response I'm going to call cq and keep the freq.

Several problems with that. First, the guy running on that frequency is 
trying to copy a weak station that you can't hear. Second, you have 
noise that keeps you from hearing guys on that frequency. This happens 
to me ALL THE TIME -- I'm running on 80 or 40, legal limit with a dipole 
at 130 ft, working east coast stations who have decent RX, and another 
east coast station who can't hear sends QRL? a couple of times, I say 
QRL repeatedly, and he calls CQ.

IMO, someone with lousy RX ought to be running assisted so you he can 
see when a frequency is QRL!  Or using a waterfall display showing 
several minutes so you can see if a frequency is QRL. A decent SDR RX 
can be found for $150. I use a P3/SVGA, much more expensive. These are 
are GREAT tool for finding a run frequency that's NOT QRL.

On the other hand, if I'm running and go to the other radio or other VFO 
to pick up a mult and take too long, losing my run frequency is a risk 
that I'm taking.

73, Jim K9YC (near San Francisco)