[ILQSO] Contest strategies?

[Jim Funk]

Eric, as one who has operated mobile, portable and fixed in ILQP, I guess I can offer some general hints.  Many of these would apply if you are operating out-of-state as well.

Before the contest: 
	Put up a low dipole for 40 meters.
	Study the list of planned operations. Know who is going to be active and what the mobiles' routes look like.

During the contest:

At eight hours, things never really "slow down".  However, there are certain periods that are much busier than others.  Some bands (40 meters) may seem to "go dead" for a period between 1900Z and 2100Z.  It may be propagation or just "flow".  Maybe people are just working the higher bands or maybe the football games are especially interesting.  That's the time when you have to really "work" the contest.  Change bands more frequently, call CQ if you weren't; if you were, try search and pounce. Don't miss the last hour on 75/80.

If you are in-state, call CQ a LOT as long as you are maintaining a decent rate.  "Decent" might be one a minute or better or worse.  "YMMV". Listen HARD for weak mobiles (they will pretty much all be weak if you are on SSB...).  

If you are phone only, you might as well try harder on the higher bands, because you are going to run out of stations to work during the daylight hours on 40.

If you can work CW, do so.  Can I repeat that? If you can work CW, do so. It will increase your score tremendously, even if all you do is search and pounce.  Call at the speed you can handle.

Watch and contribute to "spots" if you have an internet connection.  You will score higher, the other stations will get more action, and you will simply keep the bands more "focused" on the contest.  

Keep track of your number of contacts on each band and mode if your logging program makes it convenient to do this. If you are operating both phone and CW, you probably want about the same number of contacts on each.  This depends upon your expertise on CW and your station.  Keep track of multipliers you have worked and still need. If, two hours in, you don't have your five DXCC mults yet and haven't worked at least 20 states on or near the coasts, you had better spend some time on 20 or 15 meters.  If at 2000Z you have fewer than 25 IL counties worked, you need some serious concentration on 40 meters (and maybe even 75/80 at that early hour).  When you get to about 2230Z, you had better start spending time on 75/80 unless your action is non-stop on the higher bands.

That's about all that comes to me at the moment....

73, Jim N9JF

-----Original Message-----
From: ilqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:ilqso-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Eric Lorenz K9LGE
Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2011 3:05 PM
To: IL QSO Party Mail List
Subject: [ILQSO] Contest strategies?

Hi all:

I have only been working the contest for 2-3 years now...and I still 
don't feel I have gotten down a good feel for the flow of the contest. 
Would anyone that does this as a fixed station be willing to share in 
general what their strategy for this contest is? What bands you work 
when, for how long (in general) and anything else that might be 
helpful?. How much time do you spend chasing IL counties vs. other 
states/DX entities, etc...anything that might help. Thanks!

Looking forward to a fun day tomorrow,

73,
Eric K9LGE
Fixed/KANE

-- 
Eric Lorenz
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American Red Cross-Greater Chicago Chapter

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