[PVRCNC] [PVRC] SS/CW Trivia question #2: What band should you start on?

[Jim Jordan, K4QPL]

I think most everyone is on the right track. That example has been me for 
many years except I do also have a low tribander. Start on a band where the 
signals are strong. Don't try to force a high band like 15 or 10. Always 
move down long before the "bitter end" and the band goes out. It's like 
musical chairs. When you move down, you don't want to find there's no place 
for you to run and if you're a little pistol, you're not going to get the 
800 lb. gorillas to move if you get there late. It's hard enough to keep 
them from eating your lunch anyway. Knowing that 40 is unlikely to hold up 
like in the good old days, the qso count is what's going to matter through 
the long Saturday night, so if you've got any signal at all there, get on 80 
early before the midwest and west start coming in strong, even if that means 
around 0000Z. Then when you start hearing the 9's and 0's and eventually the 
5's and 6's coming in on your frequency, fight like hell to keep making 
qso's through them so they will not take your frequency. Yelling "QRL!" 
isn't going to help because they were also on the frequency before the skip 
lengthened. I just grit my teeth, switch to the beverages, crank down the 
bandwidth, turn up the volume, turn off the AGC and keep on trucking. You 
WILL make qso's with locals and stations they are skipping over. If you 
can't outgun the b_ _ _ _ _ _ ds, outlast them! Drives 'em nuts if you're 
ignoring their qrm and still making contacts and they may move on. After 
all, if you're hearing them, they're hearing you. Don't remember if it was 
last year or the year before, but I staked out 3528 or thereabouts early and 
ran 80M for 8+ hours prime time with 100W and a 50' inverted Vee which 
resulted in I think about half or more of my total qso's. SS doesn't care 
what band you work 'em on.  You can pick up other stuff daytime Sunday on 20 
and 40.

Good luck and good hunting,

Jim, K4QPL

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James Nitzberg" <wx3b at yahoo.com>
To: <pvrc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 12:26 PM
Subject: [PVRC] SS/CW Trivia question #2: What band should you star on?


> Dear PVRC sweepstakes CW enthusiasts,
>
> Your station consists of:
>
> One radio
> Low dipoles for all bands (or equivalent).
> 100 watts
>
> So the question is:  what is traditionally the best band to start the 
> contest on?  How do you "judge" the best band?
>
> 73,
>
> Jim  WX3B
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