[CQ-Contest] Contest SSB Frequencies

[Barry Jacobson]

There is something to be said psychologically for round number freqs. Just
like companies pay big money for phone numbers ending in 00 or 000. Makes
you seem like a very big operation. Not saying should be standard practice,
as others pointed out tune for minimum QRM to others and yourself. But if
band has room, I probably find myself tuning to a round number.

Best,

Barry WA2VIU

--
Barry Jacobson
WA2VIU
bdj at alum.mit.edu
@bdj_phd

On Thu, Aug 17, 2023, 11:39 AM Stanley Zawrotny <k4sbz.stan at gmail.com>
wrote:

> 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
> > _______________________________________________
> > CQ-Contest mailing list
> > CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>