Topband: CQ Long Path

[Bill Tippett]

N6NB wrote:
 >I wonder why does anyone call "CQ LP"? I can understand calling "CQ DX".
That generally means you don't want the guy down the street, or in the
adjacent state, or in the same "DXCC entity" to answer your CQ. Does
calling "CQ LP" mean that you don't want any answers from stations who
have only approximately omnidirectional transmit antennas and cannot do
anything to make sure their short path signal is not the stronger one?

         Ken I wouldn't have been surprised if someone from the East
Coast asked this but I'm surprised a KH6 asked.  JA is very strong
around West Coast sunrise which also happens to be the optimum
time for 80m long path.  Since most stations are listening only SSW,
I believe CQ LP is a courtesy to the JA's to ask them to not transmit
when they are not likely to be heard (since JA is orthogonal to the
LP RX direction).  Also, since LP signals are typically much weaker
than JA's for W0/6/7 folks who do not have good directive RX arrays,
they are asking JA/VK/ZL to stand by during the very short LP window
(typically only 30-60 minutes depending on quality of TX/RX systems).

         Nobody every uses CQ LP on 160 because it is so extremely rare.
I think almost everyone understands the common meaning of "LP" even
if some do like to debate it on this reflector.

                                         73,  Bill  W4ZV