Tough one Don! I used to enjoy those massive 40 meter round tables in the past, but think most guys kept the transmissions short. I try and remember to keep the transmissions short as the group gets bigger, but don't always remember....
I LIKE long transmissions in a one on one as it gives time to go up and make some tea or burn one, get a snack, etc. I often hear what I consider to be rude behavior when one guy makes a 15 minute transmission about not much with a big group waiting. Some guys just like to talk, and are not that big on listening. But that's AM, if people break in and tie up the frequency, you can be sure you will be talking to whoever again before to long... There are a lot of different people on AM..... Brett ----- Original Message ----- From: "D. Chester" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 1:48 PM Subject: [AMRadio] Open vs Closed QSOs > Should "breakers" *always* be welcome to join in a QSO regardless, or are > there times when it is best not to interrupt an on-going QSO, and when is > it > OK for the participants in a QSO to ignore would-be breakers? > > One of things I often find annoying when attempting to carry on a contact > near any of the popular AM operating frequencies is the near impossibility > of avoiding a large, cumbersome roundtable. The band may be completely > devoid of any AM activity for a half-hour or more, but as soon as one > station starts up a QSO with one other, within minutes you can expect the > inevitable breaker wishing to join the conversation. Then another. And > another. The more participants in the QSO, the more frequent the > breakers, > until a group has developed with 5, 8 or more stations. If the old buzzard > roundtable procedure is observed with a large group, you can count on at > least one participant getting the sequence wrong, per go-round, and > someone > often gets left out for one or more rounds. It goes without saying that > one > or more the breakers will be piss-weak, and the general rule is the weaker > they are the longer they talk. Before long, each member of the roundtable > is > waiting 45 minutes between transmissions, which tends to encourage long > old-buzzard transmissions when one finally does get a turn to transmit. It > is virtually impossible to carry on a simple conversation with one other > station on a topic of interest during prime-time operating hours. > > Not that I mind joining in a nice chat with a group of AM stations or > having > others join in on a relaxed informal conversation, and maybe attracting a > newcomer or two to the mode. But sometimes I find myself engaged in > conversation with another station on a specific topic of particular > interest > to both of us, but then the inevitable breakers enter the QSO without > displaying any interest in the topic of discussion, and before long the > whole conversation is redirected off topic and the original discussion > fizzles before it is allowed to reach a conclusion. I find this highly > annoying to say the least. > > What's the best way to handle this situation? With CW there is a > convenient > pro-sign that specifically tells the other station and only that station > to > transmit, and that all others should stand by until the ongoing > communication is finished. That pro-sign is KN in lieu of a simple K at > the > end of a transmission. But I know of no corresponding pro-sign for use > with > phone. Is it rude to ignore breakers, or must they always be made to feel > welcome to join any conversation regardless? One technique when everyone > in > the QSO has a strong signal, is to overlap the carriers as one station > turns > it over to the other so that there is no pause between transmissions. Some > people say they find that rude, but wouldn't it be equally rude to > approach > two or more strangers on the street, and to butt into their conversation > without being invited? > > I would suggest listening to the content of the conversation in a QSO > before > attempting to break in. If the participants are discussing a specific > topic, do not attempt to interrupt unless you have something to contribute > to the topic at hand. Listen carefully, and you will likely hear clues > to > whether or not they would welcome others to join. If there is any doubt, > QSY to a nearby frequency and call CQ, or scan the band for another > on-going > QSO that would appear to be more welcoming to breakers. > > We will generate more AM presence in the bands with several simultaneous > QSO's with 2 or 3 participants each, than with everyone falling into one > large, boring roundtable with 8 or more stations, each taking their turn > to > make a 10-20 minute transmission. On 75m, if 3870-90 is fully occupied, > consider moving "down below" to 3600-3750 or thereabouts, or give 160 or > 40 > a try. > > Don k4kyv > _______________________________________________________________ > > This message was typed using the DVORAK keyboard layout. > > http://www.mwbrooks.com/dvorak/ > http://gigliwood.com/abcd/ > > ______________________________________________________________ > Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net > AMRadio mailing list > Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html > List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio > Post: [email protected] > To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected] with > the word unsubscribe in the message body. > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Our Main Website: http://www.amfone.net AMRadio mailing list Searchable Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Post: [email protected] To unsubscribe, send an email to [email protected] with the word unsubscribe in the message body. 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