Today I activated DM/BM-315 on 40m SSB. As usual I sent a selfspot to attract chasers to my frequency - which I regretted afterwards:
On my first call OK1APB, Lubos from Prague, came back immediately. OK1APB is not a SOTA-chaser and his answer to my CQ SOTA was by coincidence. So we had a nice regular QSO with several overs - until my spot was on all chasers’ screens. Despite I was still in QSO with him we were disturbed by the starting chaser pileup. My request to be patient until I had finished this QSO was unheard.
One chaser even told Lubos he should leave frequency as a SOTA QRP-station was working here. Unfortunately Lubos was just working exactly this SOTA QRP-station - me!
I like working down a pileup in contest-style - but from time to time I also like to have a short chat with somebody. Of course I understand SOTA-chasers are keen to achieve a QSO with an activator. But please respect my wish to have a few additional overs with some stations.
Please listen! I will clearly indicate by “DB7MM/p QRZ” or “CQ” when I am ready for the next QSO.
Please be a bit more patient! I always try to work every chaser and continue calling until several calls are unanswered. So there is no need to hurry.
Thanks for the two QSO’s today. When you were on BM-315 I heard what happened.
I thought it was really bad and indeed impatient!
I think that people forget that some hams bump into SOTA activations and like to know what equipment, antenna etc. are being used and fine details about the location…so
I think people should understand that you wait until a QSO is over and wait for a cue like ‘qrz’ to call… I have heard stations today calling (bleating) when the activator has gone! Oh well…
Typical of SOTA today, week end at the zoo.
What used to be a well organized operation is now no more than a contest which is what it was not meant to be.
I tried today as I normally would to alert an activator before I worked him of a s2s calling,although the activator called for the s2s it was not successful due to the ignorance of the poor operating we now encounter.
We often hear the cold calling now of operators who cant hear the activator and repeatedly ask for call signs,we hear the reports of others taken when it was not for them,what was normal good practice to confirm the report is now impossible due to the qrm.
Rather disgruntled long standing chaser. 73 Don G0RQL.
Today I was calling the HB9/EA station on 14.260. I could hear him now again due to the QSB, at best he was 43 here. I thought he had called me in but then i lost his signal altogether. In this situation I will wait to see if the operators signal improves and sometimes this can happen. It’s best to wait until after the pile up has ended and try again. I would never call a station that I could hear nothing from, whats the point in that? If you can’t hear them how can you have a QSO? I can’t understand why this happens. However I have being guilty of calling a station and saying that I am listening on the frequency but only if the frequency is clear of other operators.
With my limited antennas and the poor band conditions at the moment it can be difficult at weekends to contact some SOTA stations.
You were a very strong S9 signal with me when you called in
In reply to M0MDA:
Hi all has Don said its more like a day at the zoo i find it all most impossible to get any where over the weekend what started out being enjoyable and friendly as turned into a frenzy IVE JUST HEARD A SOTA ACTIVATOR CALL FOR ANY STATESIDE and he was answered by a italian station i rest my case Dave M3XIE
Hi Mick,yes I heard you call and realise you lost him in qrm/qsb which is what happens to us all and is why I said just the once he is calling you Mick,as you didn’t respond obviously you had lost him and the obvious thing to do is listen as you did for an improvement but they just seem to call and call over the top of all now.
As Dave said and we all heard the call for outside EU,the usual within the EU couldn’t resist. Don.
The MT are reining in the ones that get the most complaints, but we can’t change a culture. On HF Activators now have the same status as DX - get used to it!
On HF Activators now have the same status as
DX - get used to it!
After the lousy HF conditions we’ve been experiencing recently, it could be reasonably argued that disruptive Chaser behavior, is a nice problem for the Activators to deal with, Brian
But it is nonetheless irritating in the extreme when you hear a station you are not working thanking you for a report you did not send and saying 73, all causing QRM to the station that you are trying to work!
Irritating because it causes QRM to both activator and chaser.
Irritating because it means chaser points will be claimed wrongly - bordering on cheating.
Irritating if only that it means the station concerned will not make it into the log, because they think they’ve worked you and they quickly QSY.
Too many stations assuming they are in QSO, rather than making sure they are in QSO. Really poor operating. Those who have done this on my activations know who they are - I’ve emailed them and told them. But I’ve heard this behaviour so often from these individuals that I reckon most activators and chasers know who they are also.
