hi all,
found this video on youtube. maybe a bit off topic or all others know this video, but for me its new. very interesting. shows also mistakes made by myself…
off topic, because we dont have so big pile ups in sota. but at home im a active swlèr with my perseus sdr. and i listen often to pile ups on dx expeditions....and sometimes i only wonder about whats going on around the dx qrg…
vy 73 klaus df2gn/p
In reply to DF2GN:
Useful “reading”. I hope it would help us in using better techniques when activating and in “relaxing” while been chasers… me included!
Thank you,
Mikel, EA2CW
In reply to DF2GN:
Thanks Klaus
The video makes the point clearly that the primary responsibility for pile-up behaviour lies with the DX/SOTA summit operator. This is unlikely to be a popular message and I have always suspected that this is why some operators often report problems while others have few problems.
73 Richard G3CWI
In reply to DF2GN:
The SOTA pileups in Europe seem to have on average a greater total number of callers than in the States. Has there been a need to use split techniques either on SSB or CW to improve QSO rate or maintain control?
Guy/N7UN
In reply to N7UN:
I’ve used split on CW ops on 14MHz and 18MHz. I’ve never needed it on 21/24MHz as there a fewer callers.
Not being split on 7MHz seems to be less of an issue as most of the chasers can hear the other chasers being worked. But on 14 and 18 when you can build up a larger pileup, the skip distance problems can cause chasers who can’t hear each other to send simultaneously. I found that I was more able to manage a pileup when split.
Coming back to Richard’s comment about the video, that the problem is most often in the hands of the activator, is accurate. I don’t seem to have some of the issues I’ve had in the past and that’s maybe because I’m a better CW operator (you tell me chasers?) or because my CW is still as bad but I’m more in control - more assertive, or because the chasers are better behaved.
I’d like to think both my CW is better and I’m more in control, but I’m biased! I listen to some of the experienced ops and try to put into practice what they say.
As for chasers, overhwelmingly they behave very well and there are only a scant few who are sociopathic in their chasing. There are less than 10 calls on my bad boy list for poor etiquette, calling out of turn, calling over, not QRSing etc. Out of all the chasers out there I think that’s not bad.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to N7UN:
Guy
Split working is rarely used by SOTA CW activators. I see it used about once per month, usually on 30m and it is usually quite successful.
In Europe the favoured SOTA band is 40m and on CW activators transmit just above the QRP spot of 7030 KHz. There are often 2 or 3 SOTA activations going simultaneously between 7030-7034 KHz, so to use split in these circumstances would cause great confusion.
73
Roy G4SSH
In reply to G4SSH:
I hate split ops they jam up more band than any one else often making the band un usable for any one else . They are quite indignant too like they are some body special, “Up Two” you know what I might say to that. Can’t say I have ever heard SOTA chasers being in such great numbers to cause problems all working on the same frequency and leave some spectrum for others. Just work em as you hear em. That’s my opinion.
73 de Ian vk5cz …
In reply to VK5CZ:
Hi, Ian,
Here at EU is very common to find such crowded pile-ups, mostly on 7Mhz. The situation is worse because usually de “DX” SOTA operator works QRP and is easier to cover him while txmitting. But, as it’s said before, the fact that in a small range of the band could be more than one activation makes the solution harder. I’ve never operated split, but I was tempted, mainly while working in 7mhz.
But will our fellows understand (here in EA) the meaning of “UP”? I’ll try…
73 de Mikel, EA2CW
In reply to EA2CW:
Hi Mikel;
I have worked several 40m SOTA split operations, they normally occur at the bottom of the band during the day as there is no dx operations there.
Yes experienced chasers understand “UP” but even better when the amount of UP is stated for example “UP2”
See you in the pile ups
73 de Ken G3XQE