Wot! No SSB?

Old Reflector
41

In reply to G1STQ:

It’s a perennial problem John and the solution often brings “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” criticism. The best we on the MT can say is we try to keep the display as meaningful as possible. If a spot is deleted it is done so for a valid reason. Some people do get upset if it’s their spot that is deleted but if we see 4 spots for a VHF activation all saying the same thing then the 2 intermediate spots are probably expendable if the spots page is very busy. The 1st spot shows approx when the activation started and the last spot shows the activation is still ongoing. But it is always a judgement call and sometimes we’ll get it wrong.

Andy
MM0FMF
(a personal comment from an MT member who has cleaned up the spots page now and then)

42

In reply to 2E0FGQ:

Hi all
have we gone off track here, Original Post was

" A whole day has gone by without any spots for activations (in and around Europe) using the SSB mode. Is that quite unusual?"

If you do a summit in CW all well and good, but how about a bit of SSB as well
is it to much to ask.

Right let the dogs out and open that can of whoop ass, my ear plugs are in :-p

43

In reply to 2E0NHM:

CW should not be a problem for you Nigel as you are presently holding 2nd position in the G-all-time Chaser CW table for 28 MHz, with 28 points.

Congratulations. A 2E0 call is quite unique on CW and very popular.

73
Roy G4SSH

44

In reply to 2E0NHM:

but how about a bit of SSB
as well
is it to much to ask.

Too much to ask? No.

Too much to expect/demand? Yes.

But hey, you could try CW - it’s open to everyone.

73

Richard
G3CWI

45

In reply to G3CWI:
Hi Richard i only ask i do not expect it :slight_smile:

Ups sorry i did not ask
Nick 2E0FGQ did

46

In reply to 2E0NHM:

I am not a CW operator, but I feel I must come down on the side of the CW-ers. Quite a few of them are operating with small homebrew rigs of the “Altoid” ilk or small commercial CW rigs such as the HB1-B which cannot be used for SSB - in many cases they are using direct conversion receivers or even TRFs! To operate SSB they would have to carry a second rig which would violate their lightweight ethic. “The Activator is king” is not empty words, they are doing SOTA their own way and having fun, that cannot be argued with. You have to join them or ignore them, they cannot be forced or even cajoled into joining you!

73

Brian G8ADD

47

In reply to G3CWI:
Only wish I could do it :frowning:

48

In reply to G3CWI:

If someone has gone up with a CW only rig, then there is going to be no SSB. They might have done this as these rigs can be lighter and more efficient than an all mode rig such as the FT-817,

On some of my recent activations, I have done SSB to ensure that any VK3 chasers have got something to go for. All my recent HF activations have been successful getting through to Europe on CW, but less than 1/3rd of the time on SSB.

I too have learned CW mainly for SOTA. Perhaps if I continue using it, I’ll even get good at it.

73, Wayne VK3WAM

49

In reply to G3CWI:
Hi Richard i have used CW and i worked 66 different summits with it
Regards Nigel

50

In reply to G8ADD:

Nothwithstanding my personal preference for CW, phone modes are often the most effective way to spread the word about SOTA when new Associations start. Both John G3WGV and I used to take 2m FM along in the early days to spread the word.

I’m inclined to think that SOTA is best with a little bit of everything.

73

Richard
G3CWI

51

In reply to G3NYY:

Calling on 144.300MHz SSB is not the same as CW on 7.032MHz or SSB on FE on 60m.

Tell me about it! Outside of contests, 2m SSB down here is a barren waste.

Ah but! With an alert you’ll most likely find the very loyal band of 2m SSB chasers ready and waiting for you. Indeed so much so that the regulars are conspicuous by their absence when they are not worked.

I did try 2m CW on 144.050MHz for a while, but there very few people to work. Now I just combine it with SSB operations on 144.333MHz and it is usually down to Frank G3RMD, Reg G3WPF, Mike G4BLH, John G0TDM and one or two others to fly the flag. It would be brilliant if this multi-mode single frequency working could be done on HF, but I suspect that there would be complaints about the use of CW in the so-called SSB section of the band.

73, Gerald G4OIG

52

In reply to 2E0NHM:

In reply to G3CWI:
Hi Richard i only ask i do not expect it :slight_smile:

Ups sorry i did not ask
Nick 2E0FGQ did

Ah no! I didn’t ask if it was too much trouble to work SSB over and above CW. I asked whether it was unusual for a whole day to go by without any SSB spots being posted. Different thing!

Anyway, I seem to have elicited a fascinating discussion on the ratio of CW to SSB spots on SOTA, and thanks for the responses so far.

Nick
2E0FGQ

53

In reply to G1STQ:

I recently plucked enough courage to start activating using cw on 20M. It’s been fun, all chasers have been very considerate to my QRS cw. The difference in QSO distance acheived using cw qrp compared with ssb was amazing. I still plan to use a mix of both modes on the summits.

73

Robert
G0PEB

54

In reply to G3CWI:
Hi Richard i quite agree “I’m inclined to think that SOTA is best with a little bit of everything.”

i would rather be on the radio then doing the ironing which i am about to start
:frowning:

55

My prefix gives away the fact that I entered AR as a class B ‘no code’ operator, and that I never did anything about that for quite some time. Some others who started AR around the same time as me went onto do the 12wpm and ‘upgrade’ to an M0 call.

But in SOTA, I couldn’t help but notice how much fun lots of people seemed to be having with CW activations, and how much more chaser contacts I could be making if I did it.

So I learned how to do it - just for SOTA. I’m still not very good at it to be honest. Copying 3 minutes of plain language in my recent 12wpm assessment was very hard work for me if I’m honest - I only learned CW for SOTA purposes, and so is pretty much limited to basic exchanges.

I now have a very small lightweight CW only rig for the PP3 challenge, so if I’m out using that, then SSB won’t be an option. But even if using the FT-817, CW is so much fun, while SSB is, well, not much fun at all. It is such an inefficient and irritating mode compared to CW that I am loathe to use it on HF, even when I’ve got the gear with me.

That’s on HF. For some reason, I get on fine with SSB on VHF/UHF. But HF SSB has always been my nemesis!

I have, in the past, been accused of being a selfish activator. This is absolutely correct and 100% accurate. I do whatever I feel like doing on a summit, and never feel duty-bound to do otherwise. I usually alert, but do not give a second thought to worrying about making my alert time. If I’m early, late or on-time, so be it. If I do the band-mode combo(s) alerted for, then all well and good. And if I feel like doing something else (like 2m FM handheld) when I get there, then all well and good.

The “pressure” on an activator should be to return safely. Everything else does not matter, and I certainly don’t worry too much about meeting my alert obligations!

Returning to the original thread topic, I like CW mode the best, so therefore most of my activating is CW only. The good news for non-CW chasers is that for most scoring or unique summit activations, I tend to have Jimmy 2E0EYP with me, and he is 100% fone!

Tom M1EYP

56

i would rather be on the radio then doing the ironing

Brilliant Nigel!

If there was ever a statement that wholly explained what unites us all with our diverse range of interests within AR, this is it.

Cheers, brought a smile to my face.

Tom M1EYP

BTW, what is this thing “ironing”???

57

In reply to M1EYP:

“BTW, what is this thing “ironing”???”

It’s another extreme sport involving setting up a board in unlikely places such as the summit of Tryfan, and flattening the creases out of a shirt on it!

73

Brian G8ADD

58

In reply to General way the post has gone:

I have always activated all my summits on SSB and would not change that for any reason, I find SSB much more of a challenge than CW or VHF. and i enjoy QSOs outside of one country.

I hear they say yesterday was bad day for band conditions…. well if it was give me a “bad day” any day, 28 contacts on 40m and 17 on 20m all in 30 minutes from across Europe… all on SSB.

Bottom line, every activator operates using the Equipment. Modes and Antenna they personally prefer and enjoy and according to any trend.

73,
Darius OK7OK

59

In reply to G8ADD:
Off Topic tangent:
About 10 years ago I met a guy on the summit ridge of Crib Goch (Snowdonia, N. Wales) with his “extreme” ironing board strapped to the back of his rucksack… the amazing thing is I had just been explaining about “extreme ironing” to the group with me and they thought I was joking. Unbelievable coincidence.

Only time I’ve ever seen it
End Off Topic.

Gerald
MW6AQU/P

60

Curiously, today seems to be following a similar pattern, spots-wise, though there are one or twoo mentions of SSB in alerts. (Edit: Ah! That obviously jinxed it! There’s now an SSB spot on 40 metres! :wink: )

Mind, anyone out anywhere near here would have been caught out in one or more of the day’s heavy showers, some with added flashes and bangs (so I’ve left my antennas disconnected)…

73, Rick