I think some people used this feature without regard to actually listening first. I had several instances where I was running when stations would just pop on frequency and start CQing in my face. I knew that they could hear me and thankfully most of them QSYd after a few CQs. Ed K1EP
On Mon, Dec 9, 2019, 12:01 Larry (K8UT) <[email protected]> wrote: > Steve, > > RE: CQ hole > >If you left a run spot to go pee, it would be gone within about 1 or 2 > minutes > > The latest rev of N1MM's Spectrum Display includes a "CQ Freq Search" > enhancement whereby up-to 5 frequencies of sufficient width (based on > mode) and vacancy (one minute) are highlighted. You can mouse-click and > jump to a new "CQ hole" and resume RUNning. > > -larry (K8UT) > > ------ Original Message ------ > From: "VE6WZ_Steve" <[email protected]> > To: "Topband" <[email protected]> > Sent: 2019-12-09 11:35:49 > Subject: Topband: ARRL 160m > > >This was the first time I made a serious attempt at the ARRL 160m > contest. Usually I will just poke around and hand out mults. Since condx > were looking pretty good, I decided to stay in the chair a bit longer. > > > >I must say I forgot how this contest is really more like SS with some DX > thrown in rather than a real DX contest. I knew the band was in great shape > to EU because of how loud the EU callers were, at least 4 of which were > dupes. At around 4 AM, John SM5EDX called in to tell me I had a great > signal at his local NOON! So I knew the band was in good shape over the > pole at my morning. The band was wall-to-wall during prime-time, but I > could usually find a CQ hole somewhere. If you left a run spot to go pee, > it would be gone within about 1 or 2 minutes. > > > >1319 QSOs (1381 total QSOs but 62 dupes!!! some guys just kept duping me, > multiple times…I just kept logging them) > >83 sec (I worked all sections before I went to bed Friday night) > > > >52 DXCC: > > > >EU- 114 QSOs, 25 DXCC > > > >AS- 97 QSOs, 5 DXCC: 86 JA, 7 UA9, 2 HL, 1 BY, 1 JT > > > >OC- 8 QSOs, 2 DXCC: 7 KH6, 1 5W > > > >SA- 3 QSOs, 3 DXCC: 1 CE, 1 YV, 1 PJ2 > > > >AF-1 QSO, 1 DXCC: 1 D4 > > > >I was operating my remote station using the Flex 6600, ACOM 2000a, 2 el > TX, and multiple RX. > >My preferred radio is the K3s because it has superior weak signal RX, but > it has no waterfall via the remote. > > > >My remote station is a challenge to operate a contest like this. Here is > some info on how things are set-up. > > > >I am not "a boy and his radio", I am "a boy and his PC". I use the Flex > 6600 PC software on one monitor, and the remote station PC is on the other > monitor where I log with N1MM and control the station. There is no > physical radio or switching at the operating table. Just the PC, a mouse > and a keyboard. > >I always use diversity RX with my 9 circle array in one ear, and the > Beverages in the other. Each has 8 compass directions and each are > controlled with a clickable rotor compass dial on the PC. SO...to change > directions I need to click the 9 circle, then click the Beverage selector, > and then click the TX array direction, then get the cursor back to N1MM to > log. Often I would be RX in multiple directions in each ear which was > handy, but boy....Im pretty sure I'm developing carpel tunnel syndrome from > using that mouse! During the morning run was really crazy...JA, OC, NA, N > polar and EU all possible signal arrivals! > >If I was RX for JA, and some polar EU would call if I had one ear on EU I > might hear them, but then if they are weak, I need time to switch the other > RX to have good copy. If the callers are only dumping their call once…I > might not get it. Same with NA calling from the back of the RX. The > Beverage broadside phased pairs are very sharp, and the difference can be > copy-no copy just between N to NE. I may consider adding my RBN skimmer > 30m loop into the RX mix so I can have “omni” rx, but it does not hear as > well. > >So if I missed any callers, or seemed really slow responding, it was > probably because I was busy switching my RX and struggling to get the mouse > back into N1MM to type in a call. This is one disadvantage of the remote > compared to having a physical direction switch so I could keep the focus on > N1MM. > >There were some very exceptional EU signals, some of which when they > called I was sure they were NA. > >On Friday night at 0730z JE1BMJ and JE1CKA got my attention even though I > was RX for EU. This was just at JA sunset. I switched to JA and had a nice > run on 41 JA till I went to bed at 0830z. > >Congrats to Joel VE6WQ at VE6JY and Eric VE6BBP who were both rocking the > band during the contest. > > > >Thanks to those how called me and could hear me. > >Lets hope these great conditions persist throughout the season. > > > >73, de steve ve6wz > >_________________ > >Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband > Reflector > _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
