[CQ-Contest] Run rate vs. S&P rate RTTY Roundup

[Art Boyars]

KK9A knows a lot more than I do, but I don't think "poor antenna" is the
main factor in this case.  Lots of us get by with poor antennas.  I run
100W to a 200-ft-long dipole, and I can run IF I pick my band correctly.
(Of course, I'm talking about CW and some SSB; I don't do RTTY.)

You have to be on the band where you are (relatively) loud in the
high-density areas.  In the US (and Canada), that means the eastern third
of the country, particularly the northern part of that third.  Your QSO
volume is in W1, W2, VE3, W3, W4, W8, W9 and some W0.

As an East Coaster with a modest antenna, you can run in those areas with a
modest signal.  You mostly cannot Europe (or Japan).  You cannot run much
W6 or W7 -- they have an advantage in population balance.

So, why was Barry not having much luck running, even though he was, to some
extent, "fresh meat"?

40M Saturday night -- could 40M have already "gone long"? Was his modest
signal hitting areas of low population?  (A relevant story:  Many years ago
in a PVRC On-the-aAr Reunion, W3ZZ(SK) did an aeronautical mobile rover
with another op whose call I have forgotten.  Gene reported that I was the
loudest signal on the band... 2,000 feet over Missouri.  Not a lot of QSOs
there.)

20M at the end of the contest -- same question: where were you loud?
Another factor might be that most participants had QRT by then.

MAYBE in each period 80M would have worked better.  I don't know.  Again, I
don't do RTTY, but my "something to think about" suggestions above are
based on a lot of experience in SS with 100W and a dipole.

I hope to be QRV Saturday night in NAQP SSB, where I can test my theories
again.  I hope to work many of you,and I hope I'll be loud enough that you
can figure out what name I'm using.

73, Art K3KU

On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 7:17 PM <john at kk9a.com> wrote:

> An 80m dipole is a poor antenna on 20m and 40m so you were probably just
> not
> loud enough when CQing to be noticed and keep the frequency clear.
>
> John KK9A
>
>
>
> Barry Jacobson WA2VIU wrote:
>
> Hi, sorry for late post, but originally posted elsewhere and was told
> appropriate for this list which I just joined. Glad to meet you guys.
>
> Due to family obligations during RTTY Roundup only had two hour stint on
> 40m Saturday night and then about 45 minutes on 20m at close of contest. In
> both cases, my run rate was worse than S&P. Could call CQ for quite a whole
> and just get a bite here and there. Was running 500W into an 80m dipole. I
> assume part of it is  my state NY is not very in-demand. But conventional
> wisdom is that far fewer people run than operate, so there should be plenty
> of customers.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Barry WA2VIU
>
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