[PVRCNC] Sweepstakes Tip No. 2

[Jim Jordan, K4QPL]

All antennas are not created equal. Sometimes less is more. Sunspots are 
increasing, but poll numbers show that, like last year, we'll be duking it 
out 80-40-20 and 40 can maintain its lead as the money band. 20 will help to 
carry the long-haul freight. Remember, you can only work 'em once so there's 
no point looking for openings if you can get there on an active band.

>From an antenna standpoint, your triple-stack thickburger that can warm 
capuccino in Rome in a dx contest may melt the ice on J's dipole in the 
frozen north and give you your sweep courtesy of VY1JA. But using it 
exclusively can be counterproductive. Aimed west you may intimidate a few 
NCCC guys with that rock crusher signal into Silicon Valley, but remember 
you might not hear "Joe the Ham" in PA, who is hoping to make more than 250 
Q's, but will probably only be on for a couple hours. If he can't work you, 
he might think you're trying to unfairly redistribute the RF which doesn't 
help either of you. What should you do? Get out there and lower wires to 
stimulate the number of contacts. A switchable low dipole, with more high 
angle, omnidirectional RF will put your signal into a lot more battleground 
sections.

On 40 meters, antennaS, with an emphasis on plural is key. Over the past 
week or so I've been listening to ragchewers on 40 all over the country and 
switching between my 2-el wire beam, aimed WNW and a N-S dipole.  Generally 
speaking, signals peak as expected, but the outcome of the election is by no 
means certain.  Sometimes I've heard stations north of me come in better on 
the beam and the dipole pick up better in the midwest swing states.

Particularly in the cw sweeps, there is a finite number of people on and you 
will soon feel like you have exhausted the pool of eligible operators. The 
key to maximizing the number of qso's is to do all you can to blanket the 
country with your signal whenever you're on that band. It isn't a matter of 
thinking, "Well, I'll get the East Coast later on 80." What you will do is 
get everyone who is on 80 later. But don't forget Joe Sixpak in GA, who may 
be on 20 for a while but never moves down to 80 at all. If you don't get him 
when he's on, you'll never work him and that's a Q you'll wish you had when 
you're grinding out those automatic CQ's on Sunday evening producing a rate 
of something under 10.

Bottom line, variety is the key. Make it easy to try different antennas on 
the same band. I "daisy-chain" an Ameritron box with the 40M antennas to the 
40M position on the Sixpak. If a caller is weak, click to the other antenna 
to see if it brings him up. When running, switch to the other antenna now 
and then to see if it opens up a new geographical area for you. (Just don't 
"hot switch").

Good luck and see you in the contest.

73,

Jim, K4QPL