Category: The view from the Cheap Seats

DXPeditions and working split

I enjoy chasing DX. But operating a “Stealth Station” sometimes has its disadvantages when the pile ups are massive.

Often when listening you will hear the DX station giving out their callsign along with “listening up or up 5-10 or???”

Now the operators who can’t figure it out will toss their callsign out where no one is listening for it and then the DX COPS will jump in and scream at the operator for not following the instructions which now means the people who followed the instructions are not hearing anything but Lids and Cops…

Now here is the best video I have found (so far) that covers the topic so well that I wanted to share it with you.

Seems fairly simple and easy to understand… and although he is using a IC7300 for his example…. Most (if not all) of the newer HF Radios will work in the same way.

Thanks to Matt K0LWC for the video. If you like it head over to his YOUTUBE site more more content.

And that my friends is the view from the “Cheap Seats”

73bob

Do your homework and save some $$$

Over the last weekend when the bands were rather crowded with the ARRL International DX Contest I was also checking the various HAM Swap on line sites as I am looking for a few accessories to compliment both my home station and my portable station.

It seems that (in my opinion) there are some operators out there selling equipment with the idea that its value has increased because they have used it…

Example 1- I noticed that a used non current radio (dual band mobile) sellling used for more than the new price of the current radio that replaced it….

Example 2– A used multi band mobile antenna listed for just under $200.00 with the new price of the same antenna being sold at HRD in the States for just under 70.00 cdn. Granted there would be shipping and perhaps duty on the item but can’t imagine that bringing the cost up to the $200 mark.

I personally believe that some of these hams are using EBAY style pricing instead of doing their due diligence and comparing their used gear to the new price.

Another example of this would be a fellow selling some gear (that I was interested in) and was selling it for “Best Offer”…. I sent him an email with my best offer and got flamed by him accusing me of low balling him… I replied by informing him that the gear was selling new at a retailer included the price and sent him the link. I also added that if he wanted to sell it my offer would stand for a week. I believe the ad is still up and… I never heard back from him.

Now perhaps…. Some of the hams selling the gear got screwed over by the person they bought it from…..but just because they got screwed it does not mean that you have to.

That my friends is the view from the “Cheap Seats”

73bob

Really??? Read your rules!

Now this might “Ruffle” a few feathers but here we go anyway….

This morning I noticed a Canadian Station spotted on POTA Spots operating on 7.291 lsb. I worked him the first time then he switched to a different park and I managed to get him again….

But after I made the 2nd contact…. a fellow jumped in and started complaining about SSB in the AM portion of the band.

The above graphic from the ARRL Website. If I read it correctly the Green Areas are for voice…. Not just AM.

He was politely informed that the frequency was open when the POTA Station started calling and that the POTA station was almost finished and would be moving on in about 5 minutes….

The upset fellow was also reminded that the POTA station was in Canada and operating within the Canadian Rules and Regulations (band plan)

The above graphic from the Radio Amateurs of Canada site (RAC) and makes no mention of the AM portion of the band.

Well that was 5 minutes of AM Carriers, Tuning up of the amps….. Test audio test…

It did not make a difference as the POTA station was able to continue on with the 10 parks he needed for a successful activation and then signed off and left.

Now I do realize that there are some “unofficial rules” and “gentlemans agreements” about certain (net) frequencies but…. at the end of the day…

The fact that “We’ve always done it that way” is not the way to do things.

No one person, net or group “owns” a portion of the amateur radio spectrum…. We just get to use it when its not already in use.

73bob

After the CQ WW SSB Contest….

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WARNING: THIS BLOGPOST TAKE A GOOD HUMOURED JAB AT SOME CONTESTORS…(no not you….but the other ones)

Well according to the rules:

XI. LOG DEADLINE:

  1. All entries must be sent WITHIN FIVE (5) DAYS after the end of the contest: no later than 2359 UTC November 3, 2023 for SSB and 2359 UTC December 1, 2023 for CW. Resubmitting an entry after the deadline will result in it being considered as a late log.

This means that all the computer logs (and as CQ does not accept paper logs) have to had been submitted by now.

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Which has me wondering why more of the logs have not been uploaded to one (or more) of the popular E Log programs (LoTW, EQSL or QRZ.com)?

If you took the time to upload the logs to CQ then why not use a couple more extra keystrokes and submit your logs to the systems so the operators who were out their giving you the much needed contacts might see where their signals actually got to???

It seems so strange to me that a “Big Gun” station (and there are a few of them out there) refuse to use any of the Electronic means to confirm a QSL. Instead send them a card (that they don’t care about) along with a few green stamps ($$$$$) and they will have their QSL Manager send us a card sometime in the future….

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I can understand a DXPedition begging for donations as it costs big bucks setting up in the middle of nowhere for us to try and get a new one in the log but….

A contest is not a DXPedition and we are out there giving them the contacts for their benefit…. The only benefit I get is the confirmation so I can put a pin on the map saying ” that I’ve talked to a station there.“

Like I have said in the past…” Without the popguns…. The big guns would have no one to talk to”

I often wonder what would happen if I submitted my log as a check log after the due date with only the stations that confirmed in my log. Would a bunch of NILs make a difference? I believe they lose a couple of points for each NIL.

In my opinion that if a QSO is not confirmed…. It did not happen until it is confirmed and so…

“That my friends is the view from the Cheap seats!”

73bob

ps…. I’m NOT going to be uploading a check log... but thanks for listening to an old man rant for a few paragraphs…bob

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