ZC4LI wrote:
> One thing that I would like to know is, how an SO2R station running at
> over 100 Q's an hour on his main rig for 24 hours finds the time to S&P
> on his 2nd rig. That would be worth knowing.
Once you get proficient at SO2R, it's not all that difficult to work the S&P
rig even when the rate is 100/hr on the run rig. But it gets more difficult
above that level. When I'm in the groove I can knock off a few QSOs per hour
on the second radio even when the rate is 120-130 per hour. I've even done
it when the rate meter was pushing 150/hr. But when I'm not in the groove,
or when the rate meter approaches 175-200, then I have to focus virtually
all of my attention on the run rig. That said, there are always lulls in the
action, even during high rate periods. This happens a lot when 10m is hot.
It seems like legions of stations are coming at you relentlessly for 5, 10,
15 or 20 minutes, then all of a sudden you're CQing. Then the rate starts to
build up again. You have to hit the second radio hard during lulls. It's not
easy -- I'm still trying to get a handle on it.
Nobody starts out in SO2R being able to do anything on the second radio when
the rate is 100/hr. When I first started doing it, I was lucky to make a
second radio contact when the run rate was above 60-70/hr. But you
eventually get the hang of it if you practice and experiment with different
listening techniques (some listen in both ears all the time, some listen to
the second radio only during transmit on the run rig.)
Also, remember that the majority of hours in most contests are spent at
rates below 100/hr. When the rate meter hits 80 or 90 per hour, and lower,
it's quite feasible to work the second radio. Late at night, the rate can
drop into the 50-60 range, and that's also when you need to be pounding the
second radio.
My second radio performance varies from one contest to another. It's usually
a function of how rested I am going into the contest and how motivated I am.
It's a lot of work and very fatiguing. Sometimes I enjoy it a lot, sometimes
I can barely stand it.
73, Dick WC1M
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