TopBand: Operating Practice

[N4XD@aol.com]

Maybe its because I used to live on the west coast but I always appreciate it
when a DX station stands by to listen for W6 and W7 stations. Having lived
there I know how difficult it can be to work, and hear the DX through the
calls from the rest of the country. Also, the number of days where there is
an opening is just a fraction of those for the east coast. 

Last night I was trying to work 9X4WW. I was not having any luck. I was
expecting him to peak at his sunrise and figured I'd have a better chance
then. However, about that time he asked everyone to stand by for W6 and W7.
While I was not happy about not having this peak time to try to work him I
was, on the other hand, pleased that he was taking the listen. Since I still
have many friends on the coast I went to listen to the QSX freq for any of
them. 

While I did hear many west coast stations calling, and while the majority of
the other stations stood by, I was dissapointed to hear several stations,
K3ANS, NX0I and VE3WT ( I don't know any of them, just heard them calling)
among them, continuing to call. I'm sure they are fine operators but can not
understand why they ignored the request of the DX station. Perhaps they
couldn't copy him well? If thats the case, WHY CALL?? Sure, we all double
with the DX occassionally. Thats bound to happen. But not time after
time.......

I was dissapointed to hear this happening. I was even more dissapointed that
I think the DX station actually worked one of them. If I was the DX, I would
work them but 
NOT PUT THEM IN THE LOG.

I'm not intending to preach but how we operate is a direct reflection on how
we are viewed in the ham community. Perhaps we should  reflect on how exactly
we would like to be viewed..........

Thanks for the "bandwidth".            Ron N4XD

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