On 3/7/97 9:51, Trey Garlough at trey@kkn.net wrote:
>I am QSPing the following message from K4HQ.
>
>Relatively speaking, I am new to this sport and would like to ask some
>advice! I have a small station (loop in the attic and QRP to 100 watts)
>and I would like some advice on running. I would like to know, "when is a
>good time to run?" And, "what part of the band should I run in?," and "
>when do I stop running?"
ANY time is a good time to run. In general, you can work far more
stations running than you can with S & P, so you should run as much as
your station and skill allow.
ANY part of the band that is clear enough to generate a sustainable rate
is a good place to run. Since I operate low power, I often have more
success in quieter parts of the bands at the extreme ends (for a domestic
contest) or near the top (for a DX contest). Certainly, running in the
center of the action is more desirable, if you can maintain a rate there.
You should stop running either a) when you can't sustain any rate or b)
you've done nothing but run for 90% of your time, and you're missing
mults you think you should have. I've never run into situation b) yet. If
you're that good, using 2 radios allows you to overcome that dilemma --
you can run and search for mults similtaneously.
What is more common is to simply run out of folks to work, or to get no
answers to your CQs.
>I have run a few times in several contests but
>it appears that no one hears me! I usually stop running after 5 minutes
>without a call because my voice tends to get tired!
With low or QRP power and attic antennas, I'm not surprised. During the
1995 SSB SS, I was up at KM9P (now K4AAA - thanks Bill!) superstation.
Running low power with Bill's excellent antenna setup, I had a hard time
running during much of the contest. With 2 radios, I could CQ while
listening for mults on another band -- but there were times those CQs
went unanswered.
At my more modest home setup, I sometimes go an entire contest without
generating any runs at all.
Over time, I've constructed some rules that I follow. As per Randy's,
K5ZD advice, I always try a CQ any time I find a clear frequency while S
& Ping. I'll CQ for one (1) minute. If I don't get an answer, I'm back to
S & P. If I had two radios, I'd let it go 5-10 minutes. (Two radio
operation implies you have a keyer or other device to automatically call
CQ)
If I do get answers, I'll quit calling CQ if two (2) minutes expire with
no new callers. With low power, most runs come in clumps, so sometimes I
stretch this out to three (3) minutes -- never more.
Don't waste your breath calling CQ for 5 minutes or more with no answers
on one radio. It just means you aren't being heard.
I figure it this way. I can work 50-30 (depending on the contest) qs per
hour (SSB) doing S & P without breaking a sweat. If you call CQ and have
to wait 5 minutes for an answer, that's only 12/hour. Three minutes is a
stretch because that's 20/hour. Two minutes is 30/hour, which is near the
break even point for contests with long exchanges such as SS.
During times of REALLY bad propagation, I've seen situations where I
can't work any stations S & P for 5-10 minutes. Usually, I give up in
frustration at that point. <grin>
>Should I run after I have worked everyone else on the band??
Don't wait until you've scoured the band. Run any time you find a clear
frequency. Remember that the band is always changing, so when you are
scanning the band one time, it will change when you tune back through it.
>What band would be the best to run on? 20 Meters?
It depends on propagation, your antenna setup and other factors. I've
found 20 meters SSB can be hard to work without a (even a small) beam. 15
and 10 can be good for low power ops if there's good propagation, but we
haven't seen much of that lately.
>I will be operating this contest
>with low power so don't expect a big signal!
If you don't have a big signal, be prepared to spend nearly all of your
contest time S & P. Be delighted any time you can establish a run for any
length of time.
> Also, what band should I
>start on?? I usually start on 20 because the band fades away shortly
>after the contest begins!
Depends on the contest and the current conditions. Start on whatever band
you expect to find the best rate. The expectation comes with experience
(something I certainly don't have enough of).
Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL Mail: aa4lr@radio.org
Quote: "Not in a thousand years will man ever fly!"
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901
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