Topband: Self Spotting

[K1ZM@aol.com]

Hi Guys
 
This topic INTERESTS ME - so I will comment on self-spotting.
 
I DO IT quite often for a number of reasons.
 
Most of often, if I know I am approaching a specific WINDOW of propagation  - 
like say JA sunrise on the JA side (that would a long-path QSO from the EAST  
COAST of NA) - or at MY SUNRISE (that would be a short path QSO from VY2 into 
 JA) - and I know my signals are LIKELY to be very weak at the other end of 
the  path, I will do this:
 
DX 1824.5 VY2ZM - CQ DX JA
 
or something like that.
 
What I am trying to do is much the same as what Greg says.
 
I am trying to ALERT JA ops who may be operating ON ANOTHER BAND at the  time 
to come to 1.824.5 and LISTEN - to see if they can hear anything.  If  they 
can hear my CQ DX, then I stand a whole lot BETTER chance of making a JA  qso 
than if I were to CQ into the ether and have no one EXCEPT those tuning at  
that exact moment perhaps roll across me and hear me.
 
Sometimes, when I know I have an old friend (like Hiro JA4DND) - whose QSL  I 
have multiple times in my home by the way - on frequency and I can hear him - 
 and perhaps he is NOT hearing me due to the new JAMMERS that are present on 
his  side I may also do this:
 
JA4DND 1824.5 Hiro I can hear you
 
or maybe "Hiro - listen HARDER - you are solid copy here.
 
Since the window is so short - I do this so the other station knows that I  
am there and that I can HEAR THEM - so all I am saying is TRY HARDER HIRO.
 
I don't need this card - nor even this QSO - but making the QSO is still a  
challenge and if I can enhance my chances to have someone HEAR ME (by alerting  
them to the fact that I am there) - or by telling them that "Hey Hiro - I can 
 HEAR YOU - LIKE "DIG-MAN!""  maybe better success will result than if I did  
nothing at all and just let the chips fall as they might.
 
Last season, I worked 9V1GO four (4) times from VY2ZM - all on the  southeast 
path at his sunrise.
 
In all cases, the window was about 90 S E C O N D S long!  It occurs  about 
3-4 minutes after 9V1 sunrise - and is quite predictable.
 
Bob and I would use RAPID EMAILS to tell each other the progress of the qso  
being attempted eg:
 
1) Bob I can hear you
2) Jeff I think I can tell you are there
3) Jeff - I can hear ZM now and then
4) Okay - I got the call for sure - send the report over again
5) Ok - I got the report - LISTEN JEFF - I am sending YOUR REPORT again  now
 
It was not always rapid fire communication - as the server and  internet 
provider software delays often made the email messages LESS useful than  I might 
have liked - but we came to know HOW the PROPAGATION really worked this  way.
 
We learned HOW to enhance the chances of actually MAKING the qso.
 
It worked far better than random CQ'ing into the wind - and we  both 
benefitted immeasurably by knowing the actual status of what was  going on as we made 
the attempt together.
 
Now, I have 9V1 confirmed and have on 160m from NY for over 10 years now -  
but each time I manage to work that far into such a difficult path I get 
excited  - because it is SO DAMNED HARD from the east coast of NA.
 
I even managed to work BOB last season from VY2 on 160M SSB - and even  
though that is an almost IMPOSSIBLE qso to make - I never even sent him a  QSL 
asking him for a card.
 
Perhaps I should do that - if I got a card back I would probably frame it -  
but in that case, the card was secondary and basically immaterial to me.
 
I just wanted to do it (make an SSB qso into 9V1 on 160M from  VY2) because 
it was SO HARD to achieve.
 
Random calling CQ would not likely have caused this qso to take  place.  
EVER!  The window is too short.  Years ago, we did not  know EXACT SR and SS times 
- today we do!  That has helped MANY qso's to  take place that in W1BB's day 
were MISSED.  The IMMEDIACY of the internet  and chat sessions - add to the 
PROBABILITY matrix - and I for one and going to  use them to enhance the 
experience and richness of my 160M operating  EXPERIENCE!  And I am not going to have 
any problems looking at myself in  the mirror as I do try to improve my 
chances of making selected rare qso's that  might otherwise never have a GOOD 
chance of taking place - but that is just how  I look at it - others may find it 
CHEAPENS the qso or feel different - and that  is okay.  I know how I feel about 
it - and I can live with that - I accept  and will never denigrate how others 
feel about the same topic.  But that is  just how I look at the issue being 
discussed here today on the reflector.
 
Specific LISTENING and CALLING - at the exact moment in a 30 second window  - 
with FEEDBACK taking place on both sides over the email system - HELPED make 
a  nearly  impossible QSO take place.
 
It was exciting for me and Bob said the same after from his side.
 
And, it was not a new one for either of us - and I did not even ask for a  
card - or really want one.
 
160M is SO TOUGH - that the mere notion of being able to IMPROVE OUR  CHANCES 
in this way was USEFUL I think.
 
I am not going to debate the merits or propriety of doing this - I did it  
and will do it again.
 
If I can hear a G3 at 1530Z from VY2 someday - (like G3FPQ cq'ing for  
example) - and I need him to know he is being heard on my side 4 hours before my  
sunset, I might do something similar.
 
I hardly need his card - nor does he (David) need mine - but we both  might 
making enjoy the experience of making such a difficult qso through so much  
daylight on my side.
 
If modern technology can serve a purpose to HELP one take place - than I  
have actually no guilt-trips or feelings of impropriety whatsoever.
 
I will spot either myself or DAVID depending on how I feel at that moment -  
so someone on the OTHER SIDE knows that I can hear in that direction and that 
I  am on a SPECIFIC spot - and this I do to help them FOCUS their listening - 
in  order that an UNUSUAL qso may have a better chance of occurring.
 
73 FWIW
 
JEFF
 
K1ZM/VY2ZM
 
_K1ZM at aol.com_ (mailto:K1ZM at aol.com)