[CQ-Contest] Contest SSB Frequencies

[Stanley Zawrotny]

I was severely criticized about these observations, so I expect a lot of flack. 

Until recently, I mostly did search and pounce rather than running because of my station. I observed over the years that the majority of the stations seem to set up initially on even frequencies and on multiples of .25. After I got my Flex-6600 and could SEE transmissions, I SAW that this was true. This is not channelizing, it is just common practice, intentional or not.

So if you are doing S&P, you will save yourself a lot of effort by tuning directly to those frequencies.  If it sounds s off, the tune further by ear.

I have observed that spotted frequencies of .9, really should be .00. I have wasted time trying to make contact on the .9 freq and when I moved to .00, I got right through.

After the bands get crowded,  people will set up anywhere they can squeeze in, but many will use the .25 multiples. 

Ops who are mostly CW Contesters will vary more than others.

These are just my observations, but give them a try before you throw the stones.

Stan, K4SBZ

"Real radio bounces off the sky."

> On Aug 16, 2023, at 11:30 AM, Barry Jacobson <bdj at alum.mit.edu> wrote:
> 
> Hi, due to poor hearing, I am not on SSB that much, but mainly CW. However,
> some improvements with my hearing device have made me more willing to try
> SSB. I am wondering if people always use integral number of KHz. In CW, I
> never paid attention to exact freq, just found empty freq in band and
> called CQ. But recently was calling CQ for a ragchew in SSB, and the fellow
> said I am on a fractional freq and wanted to know exactly what it was so he
> could tune it better. Said was unusual. Is that always the practice in SSB
> and in SSB contests to use whole numbers? I imagine the bands get crowded
> and not always so easy to find a whole number freq. Please correct me if
> that is standard practice in CW and RTTY, as well, something I never knew
> about.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Barry WA2VIU
> 
> --
> Barry Jacobson
> WA2VIU
> bdj at alum.mit.edu
> @bdj_phd
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