I mostly rely on reversebeacon skimmers to "spot me". I know for sure
whenever I issue a CQ, and I'm not specifically in a contest unassisted, I
am also watching reversebeacon. If I call CQ on 160M and get spotted by 2
EU skimmers, then conditions are OK. If I call CQ and get spotted by 10 EU
skimmers on 160M, then I know things are really good.
But you're right, many people do not watch skimmer reversebeacon spots, and
I sometimes stir up even more action by self-spotting.
Earlier this year I was having a blast with 40M being open in my late
afternoon to JA/VK/ZL/AS and would self-spot with the direction I was
looking for (because otherwise I get called by hordes of weak EU's loading
up their QRP rig into their bedsprings).
EP6T and K1N have been interesting curses. They were new ones for me, but
they really do "suck the life" out of casual CQ'ing for DX. Many times I
have been CQ'ing 10 kc below them on 160/80/40, and had, um, less than
complimentary responses from the DX cops. I heard SU9VB CQ'ing on 20M SSB,
and the DX cops were actually telling his callers "he's not K1N, go away".
OTOH going to 15M and CQ'ing 10kc below K1N when the band is open to JA
(and conditions have been just gangbusters to JA on 15M), has been a
reliable way to stir up JA activity.
Tim N3QE
On Sat, Feb 7, 2015 at 7:30 AM, Mike Waters <mikewate@gmail.com> wrote:
> Pardon my ignorance, but if there is little or no activity on 160, what
> harm does spotting one's own "CQ DX" do? I know it's frowned upon, but I
> have never understood why.
>
> I called CQ DX for awhile this morning before dawn, and no one answered. I
> know that propagation was decent, because I worked a VK2, K1N, and heard
> other DX. Perhaps if I would have spotted myself on the DX cluster, then
> some DX station would have taken notice and answered me.
>
> Not everyone tunes the bands looking for CQs all the time (like I did this
> AM after K1N's sunrise). But lots of people monitor the cluster.
>
> Just who would I have harmed (any why) if I would have self-spotted myself?
>
> 73, Mike
> www.w0btu.com
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