[UK-CONTEST] RSGB Sprint Contest

[Paul O'Kane]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "stewart rolfe" <gw0etf at btinternet.com>

> I find a tendency to move off after a 'run' qso but
> stop when I hear another station to call, and then
> find I didn't move far enough (in the 'excitement'...)
> Having said that I never seem to have been 'penalised'
> for it...

You can only "know" how far to move when you have recorded,
or can see, the frequency of your previous QSO.

With regard to penalties for not moving far enough, the
2/5 kHz QSY rule is difficult to police, especially from
contest logs - because Cabrillo specifies frequencies
only in integral kHz.

For example.  Let's say you call CQ, and have a QSO, on
3520.49.  This will probably be logged as 3520 kHz.
Then you move to 3521.51, and call someone else.  This
QSO will probably be logged as 3522 kHz.  Even though
you moved just 1.02 kHz, the QSOs are logged as 2 kHz
apart - and everyone is happy?

Here's how SD V14.09, released this morning, deals with
this issue.  It is free from www.ei5di.com.

With rig-control and ESM (Enter Sends Message) enabled,
SD colour-codes the frequency display to let you know
your calling status at all times.  ESM is relevant
because it knows the status (RUN or S&P) of your previous
QSO, and that determines whether you QSY or stay on
frequency. 

When the frequency is shown in red, you must keep moving.
When it is in the "normal" colour, you may call other
stations (QSY over 2 kHz). When the normal colour display
is followed by #, you may call CQ (QSY over 5 kHz).

An abbreviated version of the frequency of your previous
QSO is shown for reference.

73,
Paul EI5DI