In my opinion I think DXing is fine the way it is. We don’t need any once per
mode or once per band rules. If we do need those rules, perhaps ARRL should
restructure the Challenge Award and only permit once per mode or once per band
to count for each DX callsign.
There are many facets to ham radio. Making rules to ensure the 100W/dipole
weekend DXer gets a contact shouldn’t be a priority to a DXpedition. DXing is a
competitive sport. Be polite when you’re on the air – all bands, all modes.
Bert N8NN
From: Peter W2IRT
Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 12:23 AM
To: dx-news@njdxa.org
Subject: RE: [DX-NEWS] Best Practices for DXpedition Operating
My opinion on this is pretty simple, and I've stated it repeatedly. For
something in high demand (top-25 entity, for example) there have to be some
clearly communicated goals from the outset. Establish those goals, do what you
can to communicate them loudly and clearly to The Deserving and don't deviate
from your plan unless your pilots convey critical information or your rates
show a need to change. Be LOUD, work the areas with the best rates for as long
as you can. Focus on the hardest-to-work region as propagation opens.
Here's how I'd do it.
1) Priority is as many unique as possible for all time new ones
2) Once per mode and/or
3) At most once per band
This means either no clublog greenies or work with the Clublog developer to
come up with a module that shows bands and modes worked, but not a full
band-mode matrix.
The Plan:
Planners must fully understand that there are three major centres of ham
populations. NA, EU and JA. Within each major center is East Coast NA, West
coast, central; Northern Europe, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe (and western
Asia); JA stands by itself. NOT to marginalize SA, VK/ZL, OC and AF, but the
highest rates will be had with the three major continents. NOW, with that said
and understood:
1) One of the three areas of the world will be extremely difficult to work
due to a polar path (Eastern NA to South-east Asia; south Pacific to Southern
Europe, Caribbean to JA, etc).
2) Two of those three will have propagation on all bands and modes, and
will have an opening 24/7 somewhere.
I. As such, they MUST focus—tightly—on those in the first
category. Like Martti on Scarborough Reef dedicating 3 hours to North America
only. No exceptions.
Following the terminator is an absolute must. If you're going to an ultra-rare
place, you need someone good with propagation, who can read and understand the
charts and formulate a concrete plan to use as a base. With the morning
terminator an hour away from the Canadian maritimes, if you're in darkness,
that's the time to start calling NA East Coast, for example. If you're on 3B9,
as you go into dawn start calling NA West Coast (you'd have had all night to
work NA East coast in this example). And so on.
II. Keep one station on 20m SSB 24/7 if you have a large
setup. If not, have one station alternating between 15, 20 and 40 SSB. Be as
loud as possible! That's where you'll rack up the uniques. Better to go begging
on 20 phone than have an international bitchfest that the weak guys can't get
through cuz you're always trying for the margins.
III. Make sure you have a skilled operator for CW and SSB who
speaks fluent Italian and/or Spanish and/or Russian…and knows how to keep the
howling wolves at bay.
a. If necessary, make an example of a couple of egregiously bad ops and
publicly NIL them, but only as a last resort
b. Make it plain that if you're asked to stand by, if you don't, you will
not be logged. Period.
IV. When you first start, and when propagation is open wide,
don't restrict callers. Loudest wins. Concentrate on rate, rate, rate and did I
say RATE. Work the big guns. Work'em down as fast as you possibly can.
V. When you have two wide open areas (NA and EU working
Africa, for example), alternate EU only/NA only for reasonable times or if you
have the stations to do it, EU on SSB, NA on CW, then switch after an hour or
two. Or 10CW/12SSB to one continent, then the opposite. Something like that, so
you don't p!$$ off entire continents.
VI. Understand that QRM will generally start getting bad in
areas where frustrated ops who haven't worked you yet start getting into the
807s and 813s after supper their-time. 2100-0100z,then 0400z to 0700z being the
worst, in my experience.
VII. When that slim window opens to the region (1) mentioned
above, they get unconditional priority. Follow the terminator, but be aware of
latecomers if possible. i.e. as the terminator moves into the US Midwest there
may be some guys in Vermont or Georgia who are just getting fluke good
propagation.
VIII. Keep your rates high even as the operation wears down and
don't worry about the 100W/wire guys for a few days—assuming you're going to be
there for 10-14 days! The more big guns you get up front, the less effort to
work the weak guys later on. Meaning less QRM.
IX. In the second week, or last few days if a short trip,
whittle it down to regions (NA East, NA Central, etc) and spend more time going
after secondary targets (SA, Africa, VK/ZL, for example). Work split for US
Generals. Pause at the top of the hour for QRP, mobile, or 'need-for-an-ATNO'
callers when things slow down.
Use these guidelines and anything from a top-5 to a top-100 will have as much
success as possible. The threat to a good operation comes from two fronts. (1)
Southern/Eastern Europen lids (and their U.S. counterparts) who cannot or will
not be quiet and who ignore operators' instructions; (2) DX Hogs who'll be
after you on 22-25 slots if you let 'em. If you have a major operation and want
to work the band/mode hunters that's wonderful. As a hunter myself I truly
welcome those 22-25 slots. But if you're a smaller operation, there for limited
time or whatever, make your intentions in this regard crystal clear and don't
let the Clublog charts overwhelm your operation.
Here's an idea for those good at programming. How 'bout this. Hard-core DXers
pre-register on your Website with an email address and callsign. When that call
works the DX and the log is uploaded at some point, the Website generates an
email to the DXer saying "you're in the log. Please do not call again on this
band." Positive confirmation delivered as quickly as possible after each
upload, so the DXer knows he doesn’t have to dupe you for insurance, but also
no public leaderboard for the global circlejerk that it can start.
In short, I believe the single biggest challenge that inexperienced DXpedition
teams face is not knowing who to look for when/where. Propagation will drive
rates but at the same time, if you're a highly in-demand location in a
difficult part of the world, you have to be prepared to sacrafice slightly
higher rates in favour of working rare areas over harder paths.
And finally, if your operation plans to heavily rely on QSL funding, don't
neglect that part of the globe who pays the best! Just sayin'!
----------------------------------------------------
Regards,
Peter Dougherty, W2IRT
www.facebook.com/W2IRT
From: kf...@njdxa.org [mailto:kf...@njdxa.org] On Behalf Of Dan M. Rod
Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 10:25 PM
To: dx-news@njdxa.org
Subject: FW: [DX-NEWS] Best Practices for DXpedition Operating
Looking at this situation when you are on the other side(DX Station),its not
easy to help everyone with a new one, and there are some hams that have your
countryon the log and they try to stablish some rag chew when you are calling
dx !,pile up went crazy ,so you must try to be pollite and keep on going
specially when there are just 3 persons doing Dx from your country.
73 and keep up the good work and please enjoy HAM RADIO
HR2WW Dan
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