Hi Mats:
I was just about to send an email along these lines ...when I saw yours.
The thing we *can* do ...and I'm as guilty as anyone of not doing it is
...what Frank W3LPL suggested ...be more aggressive about spotting
..especially on SSB. I haven't been all that active in SSB contests until
recently ..so just not in the habit ...but will change. It would probably
be a good idea to email a few people who you do work regularly ....and ask
them to spot you when they hear you.
73
Steve KL7SB
-----Original Message-----
From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
Mats Strandberg
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2016 5:40 AM
To: Stephen Bloom <sbloom@acsalaska.net>
Cc: cq-contest@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Your DX Spots during the ARRL SSB DX Contest
In CW I gladly try Run even with a small pistol station, but being on the
eastern side of the EU wall, trying to keep a Run frequency with 1 kW and a
reasonably effective yagi antenna is VERY hard (that will say on 15-80
meters). If 10 meters was open to the US, this would be a good band for a
small pistol to try some Run operation.
I did try, and succeeded a few times to keep Run frequencies on those bands
mentioned above, but sooner of later, an alligator (mostly from Europe) will
either jump directly on the frequency and steal it - or same type of
stations will place themselves 1-2 kHz away, with dirty amps and use the
fact that the station above is cleaner and less wide, and subsequently will
not disturb his 3 kW+ station.
I think this was my last attempt to work ARRL SSB from Moscow with my
relatively good but small setup. It simply becomes S&P at least 80-90% of
the time. ARRL CW is more fun and it is possible usually to find a Run
frequency (and keep it) somewhere high up on the bands.
If US stations would spot us smaller pistols a little more frequently, one
would in the best of times be able to keep the Run frequency for good runs
in 150-200+ rates. Without repeated spots (every 5 or 10 minutes), the risk
to be calling lonely without replies becomes evident, and some alligator
make use of the "free" frequency and just grab it in front of your nose...
That is the common life of a small pistol (kW with 2 or 3 element monobander
at 18 meters up) in Eastern part of Europe.
73 de Mats RM2D
2016-03-08 7:42 GMT+03:00 Stephen Bloom <sbloom@acsalaska.net>:
> It's easy for me to say since in most contests ..I'm a Mult that
> people want ..but I do think the little pistols should try running
> ..more than they do ..especially later in contests ..or slow times in
> general. If you are operating in an assisted class ...during CW and
> RTTY contests ..call CQ and see what you hit on the Reverse Beacon
> Network and how strong. Assuming you ping anything ..call CQ for
> awhile ..even if you don't get instant answers.
> All it takes is one spot. It's tougher on SSB of course because you
> are relying on being spotted ...but people will tune ..and again ..all
> it takes is one spot. Almost all of us are automated enough to have a Run
CQ Loop.
> The closest thing for me is NAQP SSB ...where we're at a real
> disadvantage up here ...especially on the Low Bands ..but even then
> ...sooner or later someone hears us. I wouldn't encourage S&P only
> categories ...because I think that will end up creating fewer Qs ..not
> more. What I *would* suggest is that lower power guys try running
> higher up in the band ..it's what we do up here at the times where we
> know everyones antenna is pointed in the other direction.
>
> 73
> Steve KL7SB
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CQ-Contest [mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf
> Of Scott Ellington
> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2016 1:18 PM
> To: cq-contest@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Your DX Spots during the ARRL SSB DX Contest
>
> On 3/7/2016 13:59, Barry N1EU wrote:
> > And I'll repeat once more: We need an S&P only category in the
> > major dx contests! Give folks a viable option if they choose to
> > avoid all the out-muscling, splattering/key-clicking infringement,
> > might-is-right experience of running.
> It would be nice, with or without the S&P category, if there were some
> way for all the S&P operators to work each other. It gets really
> boring later in the contest tuning the band over and over, hearing the
same dupes.
>
> 73,
>
> Scott K9MA
>
> --
> Scott Ellington K9MA
> Madison, Wisconsin, USA
>
> k9ma@sdellington.us
>
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