[VHFcontesting] request to ask for other stations

[N1BUG]

I like the idea but to be honest I doubt it will ever catch on. The 
real contesters are in a hurry to run the bands and rack up 
points/multipliers. That's their game. That is why they are on in 
the first place.

That said, this is one of the biggest frustrations for me in VHF/UHF 
contesting. I am located far from any activity center, in an area 
people don't point toward much. All too often the ONE time during a 
contest I hear a particular station is while they are making 
arrangements to run the bands with another station. They either are 
gone so quickly I can't get their attention, or they hear me and say 
"Please wait, I will be right back". Unfortunately by the time they 
come back, that momentary propagation peak is gone, the station 
never to be heard again. They lose a contact and in some cases a 
multiplier. I lose a good QSO and some fun.

I consider it to be just the nature of the game. Many of the best 
potential QSOs always have and probably always will be lost this way.

I should note that I am not a contester per se, at least on VHF and 
up. I will never be able to run up a decent score from here. I am 
there to hand out my grid and to have some fun. Mostly the latter. 
Many of the stations that are active in contests are rarely or never 
on at any other time. I very much enjoy making contacts at the 
limits of my station capability, and contests provide an opportunity 
to do that. That's why I am there.

It's not like I can call CQ and get anywhere either. I'm so far from 
the activity centers that I can't possibly tell what might be a 
reasonably clear frequency in those more populated areas, and I'm 
going to be weak there even when running a kW.

73,
Paul N1BUG FN55mf



On 09/06/2016 12:09 PM, Pete K0BAK via VHFcontesting wrote:
> I've been frustrated quite a few times by finding a strong
> contact between two stations, and then hearing them run away up
> the bands as fast as possible. I try to throw out my call as
> quick as I can after the QSO is complete, but they're gone
> immediately (or at least don't respond).
>
> Since I'm still pretty new after just two years, maybe this is
> how the big boys run through the bands to get to the juicy
> microwaves. As a lowly Limited Rover, I only have the 4 low bands
> to offer. But still, this weekend please consider taking
> literally 2 seconds to ask for "any others?" before running away,
> especially if you have a strong station. (I have to do better at
> this too.)
>
> Thanks!