Topband: CQ 160

[Bill Tippett]

         This reminds me of a humorous incident
which I am sure has happened to others:

Someone wrote to me privately:

>Hi Bill!
>
>I saw your post on the Topp Band Reflector where you said:
>
>"My feeling is this:  In a contest nobody "owns"
>their frequency if they deafly calling CQ-ing on top of DX."
>
>I can't disagree with this and I can appreciate how ugly things must 
>have been last weekend.  But I also have to point out that a guy in 
>my position (Midwest state) would potentially be guilty of this 
>every time he tried to call CQ.  I'm never going to hear DX the way 
>people South of me can, so would that mean I shouldn't ever call CQ?

         No, both you and the DX station have every
right to that frequency.  Where it gets interesting is
when the two of you aren't hearing each other but
someone else is!  My feeling is neither should get
upset if someone slips in and works a station you
cannot hear.  When this happens to me I start
listening to see if I'm underneath a station I can't
hear.  If I am, I don't want to be there because it
means DX is probably not going to hear me there.

         Sometimes this has funny consequences.
The following actually happened this weekend.  I
was tuning around and heard M0*** CQ-ing underneath
W4**, neither of whom were hearing each other and
neither of whom I had worked.  I signed my call once
and, lo and behold, BOTH came back.  I then gave my
599NC, both acknowledged and I went on my merry
way chuckling to myself!  Unfortunately it doesn't
always work that smoothy!  :-)  This was at 2229z
on 29 January if it rings a bell with anyone reading
this.

                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV