[CQ-Contest] Not just long calls slowing things down: getting delayed responses when S&Ping

[RT Clay]

Yes, those badly using interlocks were sometimes very noticeable in the ARRL CW. I was not able to operate very much over the weekend so when I was running stations there were often many calling me. Several times an EU big gun station would call, I would send a report, and then...nothing for several seconds. NIL and move on- sometimes the same station would call back a few minutes later. 

Tor N4OGW


On Friday, February 21, 2020, 8:32:21 AM CST, K3TN via CQ-Contest <cq-contest at contesting.com> wrote: 





With the rise of SO2R, the fact that most multi-op stations have two active stations per active band (with interlocks) and the increase in remote operations, in the ARRL CW there was a noticeably higher percentage of delayed responses from CQers when I was S&Ping, long enough where the delay prompts many to resend - often right as the CQer is finally responding, often resulting in flurries of ?? from the S&Pers and the CQer having to repeat.
I switched to QSK when S&Ping, which I don't normally turn on, so I could tell if the CQer started to respond when I started to repeat my call. The other approach is to just move on if no immediate response, just like I do if there is an immediate response but not to me -  there is always another CQer waiting to be called when S&Ping. The skimmer assisted S&P rates are phenomenal, makes the delays very noticeable.

The future generation skimmers can add a parameter: response time. Then, I could sort the Available Q Mult window to do my ALT-A S&Ping ordered by response time to first work those below the one call threshold! Or SO2Rs could adopt the RTTY tradition of sending the "K3TN 5NN K K3TN" type of response if they are hitting high percentages of ?? after coming back delayed.

73 John K3TN


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