Rd: [Elecraft] DX real time

[Tree N6TR]

Paul asks

> What are the online sources of real-time DX activity. I believe someone
> posted a DX site a week or so ago that appeared to list realtime reports
> of DX stations spotted, but I can't seem to locate it now.

Not exactly sure of why you wanted this - but I would like to offer the
following observation from the "old school" perspective.

Many people are using packet and the internet to help them find DX stations.
This is a very useful tool - but I believe that it takes away some of the
reasons that make radio fun.

However, even beyond that - from a QRP perspective, I believe there are 
other reasons to be weary about using these sources as a method of
finding DX.

A few of the operators at the recent VP8 operations shared with me the
following observation...

They would often be CQing for 10 minutes with nobody calling them, and then
a QRP station would call (who would be S9) and shortly after working them, 
there would be 500 stations calling them.  It was believed that this was
the result of a packet spot.

Now, if you are running a K1 or K2, and want to work this DX station, would
you have a better chance of calling during the 10 minute period before the
packet spot, or during the 120 minute period after it?

I had a similar problem when operating the CQ W CW from TI1C in '93.  I
had a ton of DL stations calling me on 15 CW.  They were all "3rd tier"
guys, not very strong.  It was very difficult to pick one signal out of
the mess.  The typical procedure when this happens is to QSY.  I would 
do this and call CQ for a minute before the pack found me, spotted me,
and the whole mess was recreated.  Eventually, I gave up and pointed
my beam back at the US.  

When you are running QRP - being just another signal in the pack is not the
way to "mojo".  Your path should be to find those stations that nobody has 
found yet and work them before the KW boys with the high speed internet 
connections.  

Therefore, I think the best source of information about DX stations can be 
found right between your headphones.

I realize that you might have had other reasons for wanting this information,
and I really wasn't trying to pick on you specifically.  I just hope that 
some people might think twice before using spotting information as their
sole information source for working DX.

73 Tree N6TR
tree@kkn.net
K2 #2411