[NLRS] Cqww vhf

Mary Brown maryalanab at gmail.com
Tue Jul 16 12:01:39 EDT 2024 

Biggest tool of all LISTEN! If the radio is off you can't hear an 
opening. The other day 6m went short, I was hearing western MI. CQing on 
2m yielded no contacts... if you are parked on FT8 you will miss 
openings! I saw one FT8 station during that brief opening, to brief for 
an FT8 contact but very doable on SSB!!! 2m e-skip openings can be very 
very short, 1-2 contacts and gone a lot of the time.


Mary

W0AAT

On 7/16/2024 10:56 AM, Jon Platt via NLRS wrote:
> And, the Hepburn Tropospheric Ducting Forecast found at
> https://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo.html
>
> 73, Jon
> W0ZQ
>
>
> On Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 10:53:39 AM CDT, Jim Spence via NLRS 
> <nlrs at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>
>
> Agree with Duane's assessment on the prop tools.
>
> APRS and DXmaps are both great, but it's important to note that they 
> are showing what the bands were doing 2-5 minutes ago, not what is 
> actually happening NOW.  Given a lot of openings are 2-5 minutes in 
> duration...it's easy to see why these tools aren't bulletproof.
>
> Not sure if it's helpful to anyone, but here's how I generally use the 
> tools:
>
> *DXmaps* - I keep this on Es MUF 99% of the time.  Some 
> skill/knowledge required to self-filter out garbage (example:  is the 
> 150MHz MUF over EN00 legit or a function of bad spots?). Watching MUF 
> trends is a good way to have the antennas pointed at the right place 
> at the right time to predict and capture short openings, especially on 
> 2m.  The tools aren't perfect and sometimes good spots aren't 
> reflected in the tool.  Use as a guide only, don't treat as gospel!
>
> *APRS *- Less useful than DXmaps IMO.  Lots of examples of openings 
> that aren't shown on APRS that are workable or blobs that my QTH is 
> too low of elevation to take advantage of.  While I have this tool 
> available generally, I don't look at it much.  It's of maximum use 
> during known tropo peaks (Sunday AM of contests).
>
> *PSKr* - Great to see where you're being heard and who is active (or 
> at least active and reporting).  I typically have a tab up per band 
> (50MHz, 144MHz, 432MHz) at all times. This tool would be useful for 
> analog only ops as well - it shows you active paths that are 
> workable.  Analog ops would need to pay attention to signal levels to 
> determine if CW or SSB (or even FM) would be supported by the quality 
> of the path.  Some knowledge/experience required to interpret the data 
> to understand what an Es cloud center pattern looks like vs. tropo 
> opening vs. meteor scatter.
>
> Key point is none of those tools will complete QSOs for you.  They can 
> certainly make things easier, but the op is required to do the work.  
> Any station accessories that you can add to your station will make 
> that effort easier...think memory keyers or voice keyers for analog - 
> most modern radios have them built in.  Learn to use them if you 
> aren't using them currently.
>
> I personally find the various chats to be mostly worthless - at the 
> recent K9NS multi in June VHF chats were involved in < 1% of 
> QSOs...something like 0.4%.  Almost a non-factor. Active stations will 
> be easy to find at the various watering holes per mode.  Chats can 
> help bring a casual op or two out of the woodwork...sometimes.  Chats 
> are probably of most use to find partners to run meteor scatter 
> with...unfortunately a prop mode that many seem allergic to.
>
> Hope this was helpful,
>
> Jim KO9A
>
> On Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 09:34:52 AM CDT, Duane - N9DG via NLRS 
> <nlrs at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> I admit to using APRS map and dxmaps.com to get a general sense of 
> what is going on. But those have both let me down in showing what 
> paths are actually possible. They can mislead you into thinking that 
> things are not as open as they actually are.Same for Hepburn maps. And 
> a lot of Q's actually worked never get posted to dxmaps or similar 
> either. I still pay attention to broader weather patterns etc, and 
> play hunches based on that. And on 6M and Es just have the gear on and 
> running as much as I can when there is a likelihood some Es or other. 
> There is still no replacement for just getting on, looking around, and 
> making noise. Which mode used is irrelevant.
>
> Despite all my complaints about the negatives of external operating 
> aids, there is something much bigger at play, so it extends way beyond 
> those items. And it actually extends well beyond amateur radio itself. 
> And it is not new, it has been trending that way for at least 30 years 
> now.
>
> And I wish I could say that I have some brilliant ideas for how 
> inspire more activity. But I don't have any, I just don't. But one 
> thing I am sure of is the balkanization based on the different 
> technical aspects of the newer amateur modes and gear is not helping. 
> I.e things like:
> 1. "It is not a real radio QSO if I don't aurally hear the signal".
> 2. "It is not a real radio unless it has knobs and buttons".
> 3. "I don't want a computer in, or as part of my radio operating".
>
> Perspective - my guiding principles about different modes and 
> equipment used is pretty simple. I strive to extract as much as I can 
> from the RF that is coming down from my antennas and feedlines. And 
> any technology used to do that, AND which is EXCLUSIVELY WITHIN my 
> station, is all fair game. I'm not interested in trying to draw 
> arbitrary lines around specific bits and pieces of, or types of 
> technology being used within the station itself. But I do seek draw a 
> line between my own station, and any external and parallel 
> communications paths to find or establish QSO's. Hence my frustration 
> with the clear negative effects of Internet based DX aids and 
> real-time scheduling.
>
> And yes, I do get it that the microwave bands are a different game. 
> But 6 and 2 shouldn't ever need to be done that way. And I'm not 
> bothered by remote operations either as long as it is in the context 
> of it being just extra long mic/control cables between the RF I/O box 
> +antennas and where you are physically sitting at. It is actually cool 
> stuff.
>
> But yeah, I can come across pretty harsh at times regarding these 
> subjects... Sorry about that....
>
> Duane
> N9DG
>
>
> On Monday, July 15, 2024 at 10:00:11 PM CDT, Mary Brown 
> <maryalanab at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> I don't park on the chats... I will check the APRS map for openings 
> then cq in directions that look promising... I check beacons too, 
> WD9BGA/b is my main indicator to the east, N0LL/b to the SSW...
>
> I listen more than CQ these days... between my allergies dumping down 
> my throat and lack of sleep(pain from my destroyed spine...) my voice 
> gives out to fast now...
>
>
> Mary
>
> W0AAT
>
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