[nrv-hams] Let's split this scene, man

[Kay Craigie]

If you are chasing the W1AW portable stations, it's a good opportunity to
learn an operating skill. As I listen to the bands while chasing the
stations myself, I observe that it's a skill many hams don't have. It's
called working split frequency, or just "split." It is common in DXpedition
type operations, rare to nonexistent in contesting, rag chewing, and nets.

Let's say a boat load of stations are calling W1AW/7. If the operator at
W1AW/7 transmits and listens on the same frequency the way you would in
normal operating, it may be impossible to tell when he has answered one of
the many callers, let alone hear *which* caller he has answered. This bedlam
wastes time and irritates everybody. 

However, if W1AW/7 transmits on one frequency but listens on a different
one, usually higher than his transmit frequency, it's easy to hear when and
to whom he replies because (theoretically) nobody is transmitting on top of
him. This is working split. 

How do we know if a station is working split? Good operators will tell us.
On phone if they are transmitting on, say, 14190 kHz, they will say
something like "W1AW/7 listening 195," "listening up," "listening up 5," or
even "listening up 5 to 10." Hold it! What's that "up 5 to 10" bit?
Sometimes to spread out the stations calling, the operator will tune over a
range of frequencies, the better to pick out one from the mob to answer. We
who are calling him choose a frequency within that range and call there. 

On CW the operator will usually say "up" or "up 1" or something like that.

It's annoying when the station I want to work is working split but does not
say so. In that case, how do I avoid getting barked at by the frequency
police who expect me to be a mind reader? If I don't hear any of the
stations being answered by W1AW/7, that's a clue that he may be working
split. Another approach is to tune up the band, about 5 kHz on phone, about
1 or 2 kHz on CW, to see if I can hear a bunch of stations calling. Or I can
just wait until the band cops fuss at somebody else! If you hear someone
snarl "He's listening UP!!!" on W1AW/7's frequency, he's working split and
someone just made a boo-boo. I hope it wasn't me.

How you set up your rig for split frequency depends on your rig's
capabilities. If you have two VFOs, set the transmit and receive frequencies
on them, making sure you have them the right way around. If you also have a
sub-receiver, you can use it to track the stations being answered by the one
you want to work, so as to pick a frequency for your transmissions where he
might listen next.

If you don't have two VFOs but do have a setting called RIT (receive
incremental tuning), you put your VFO on the frequency you will transmit on
and use the RIT to find and listen to the station you want to work. It's
clunky, but it usually gets the job done. Some rigs also have a control
called XIT (transmit incremental tuning) that does the same thing, the other
way around. For reasons best known to themselves, Yaesu calls the RIT/XIT
controls "clarifier." You may have to read the manual to see how to work
these controls, whatever they are called on your rig.

Rigs with visual displays of the spectrum may make it easier to tell when a
station is operating split and what frequencies the successful calling
stations are using.

Digital operators also use split frequency when there will be many stations
calling. Check the help file of your software to see how to set it up for
split frequency operation.

Have I ever transmitted on the wrong VFO? Sure I have and felt silly for it.
Only people who are really, really new to working pile-ups have never made
this mistake. Not the end of the world, but it's why I take a last good look
at my rig before I transmit, just to make sure.

Listen to the W1AW portable operations and see how the operators are using,
or not using, split frequency to manage the stations calling them.

73, Kay N3KN