[CQ-Contest] Alligators

[K9MA]

Living in the city, surrounded by overhead power lines, etc., I'm 
certainly an alligator on 160, as well as 80.   I rarely call CQ on 
those bands in DX contests, but do when it's productive. I'm sure there 
are many callers I can't hear, but I only call CQ when the rate is 
decent and I've worked all the other stations I can find in S&P mode. 
(For that matter, I don't even operate if the rate isn't decent.) I know 
that frustrates some of the callers, but what can I do?

I do agree that it's unfair to tie up a frequency calling CQ endlessly 
when it takes 5 minutes to make a new contact.

73,
Scott K9MA


On 2/24/2020 06:49, Edward Sawyer wrote:
> Shouldn't you be equally lower in signal strength on the 4 square as your ability to hear callers from the west?  Not an alligator?
>
> In my case, I have a bi-directional array pointing NE/SW and I also have the ability to listen with 2 beverages pointing in the 2 directions, switching out one once hearing a weaker station.
>
> I think the bigger issue is the amount of QRM east of the Mississippi from 00 - 07Z (East Coast plus Europe) vs the West coast during that time.  So similarly to me hearing an EU station in broad daylight on 80M or 160M 30 - 90 mins before sunset.  I can hear them perfectly, but they never respond back.  My noise floor is S0 at that time.  Who know what the EU station is hearing.
>
> The point situation is a bigger discussion.  The contest isn't a QSO party, it's a DX contest.  So of course DX (as defined normally) should count more (insert the usual distance based scoring dialog here).  There are other contests - like Stew Perry - where DX is defined differently.  However you define it, you are not going to beat the coastal stations on 160M.
>
> Ed  N1UR
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces+edwards=sbelectronics.com at contesting.com] On Behalf Of ko7ss--- via CQ-Contest
> Sent: Monday, February 24, 2020 1:36 AM
> To: Reflector Cq-contest
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Alligators
>
> Hellooooo W6/W7 !!!
>
> The CQ 160M contest scoring is so skewed to favoring W1/W2/W3 --> EU Q's, there is no reason to change the 160M 4 SQ from pointing NE. All that
> is needed is a single CA/OR/WA QSO for the mult, the rest are 2 point Q's compared to a 10 point EU Q. Of course I can barely hear you, I am just
> hoping another 10 point DL or F calls me!
>
> The lowly W6/W7 stations are -20+db off the back of the 4 square, maybe I can hear you, maybe not. Who cares, you will still work me after EU sunrise.
> At that time I will point my 4 square +/- beverages to the West.
>
> I have been there done that, go look at K1A on QRZ.com.
>
> If you have some concerns, write to Hicksville, NY, I am sure they will listen and be sympathetic
>
> The only fair contest would be 1 point Q's X mults. A W5/6/7/9/0 might win. (((GASP)))
>
> 73, Bill KO7SS in Tucson, AZ
>
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-- 
Scott  K9MA

k9ma at sdellington.us