[PVRCNC] [PVRC] Low power assisted

Jim Jordan k4qpl at nc.rr.com
Sun Nov 13 07:28:57 EST 2011 


>Sorry, but IMHO, don't brag about getting all 80 sections in
>ARRL November Sweepstakes unless you ran unassisted.

Rick's comment, which may be unpopular, rings a bell with me. I seldom get a 
sweep unassisted, and almost never NOT got a sweep the few times that I was 
assisted.

However, in fairness, I think we have to look at what I call "two different 
Sweepstakes". One is the "personal challenge" in which the main competitor 
is yourself (to improve on previous years) or a friendly competition with 
others in the same class.

The other is the "team challenge" where the main goal is to add PVRC points 
to help our team in the club competition.

The two aren't mutually exclusive, but the priorities are different. And 
let's don't throw stones at others who are in the "other SS".  If you're in 
the first, you accept a handicap to prove something for yourself, like QRP, 
or unassisted, or fastest sweep, or time to reach NNN qsos, etc. etc.

If the goal is to produce points for the "team", then everything goes. 
Assisted, power, BIC, even the HMO technique that NCCC uses a lot.

A lot of us switch depending on mode. Whatever your game, SS is THE contest 
of the season for most of us. Enjoy it. See you next weekend. And change 
your prefills for K4QPL from "Q" to "U"!

73,

Jim, K4QPL


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rick Lindquist / WW3DE" <ww3de at comcast.net>
To: "'Curt Milton'" <wb8yyy at yahoo.com>; "'pvrc'" <pvrc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2011 6:53 PM
Subject: Re: [PVRC] Low power assisted


I agree wrt everyone running 5 W. A great suggestion, although it certainly
will not increase the club's point count.

I've gotten a clean sweep on SS (unassisted - there was no such thing then)
running QRP. Sorry, but IMHO, don't brag about getting all 80 sections in
ARRL November Sweepstakes unless you ran unassisted.

A lot of contesters tend to dismiss SS, but it's a lot harder to "get right"
than "599 15" etc. I love SS CW!

73, Rick, WW3DE

-----Original Message-----
From: pvrc-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:pvrc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of Curt Milton
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2011 1:10 PM
To: pvrc
Subject: Re: [PVRC] Low power assisted

Not too many years ago I remember (somehow) getting 77 of 80 sections
running QRP without a beam. I do not sense that spotting would have helped
me get the remaining 3, even if I were low power. When some rare sections
are covered only by ops who put in just a few hours, then spotting in SS is
less valuable to the lower power station.

I imagine the biggest stations use assistance just so they don't miss a
multiplier or two while they are mostly running. As my missing sections
(except for VY1) were not 'hard ones' I could likely have gotten them with a
few hours of running if I would have had more time this year (or being
assisted in much less time).

I do sense some sections may have had only part time ops - as I worked 4 or
5 in WCF that someone reported as being missing. I even find getting MO to
be scarce on CW, while MT is my second most worked 7 district. I almost
missing EWA when one station said I was a dupe (he must have grabbed my
exchange to another station even though I begin with their call) but I found
a second EWA.

In a contest where there are multipliers on each band - I can imagine
assisted is much more valuable.

I may try assisted in my low power, casual phone SS effort just for
something different -- but I can imagine being short one or two sections
when I am done, if I operate long enough.

The big guns could not handle it, but SS CW would be a blast if everyone ran
5 watts and all the networks were turned off. Then it would all be about
just operating. Since 5 watts from my little station reaches all the
multipliers, certainly it could work. The large stations could still hold
their frequencies based upon their antennas. But remarks like this could
have me banished!

73 Curt



From: Tom Shelton <gl1800winger at verizon.net>
To: pvrc <pvrc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2011 11:55 AM
Subject: Re: [PVRC] Low power assisted

I've never used assistance for Sweeps (my goal is an unassisted, low power,
sweep - maybe someday), but I do use it for other contests. I do notice
that my scores seem to improve when using assistance. Keeping in mind that
this is coming from someone who is about 95% S&P, where assistance is
useful.

If you are a 95% runner, then I can't see a real need for assistance. Also,

by doing this contest unassisted, I'm in a much smaller competitive group
than if I were to go assisted.

Just my 2-cents.

Tom, AB3IC

-----Original Message----- 
From: Cliff
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2011 10:56 AM
To: Radio Club
Subject: [PVRC] Low power assisted

For those who tried the low power assisted, I'm curious if after doing it,
you
think it helped your score. If so, how much? (maybe compared to last year)

Cliff

-- 
Cliff Bedore
7403 Radcliffe Dr. College Park MD 20740
cliffb at cjbsys.bdb.com http://www.bdb.com
Amateur Radio Call Sign W3CB For info on ham radio, http://www.arrl.org/
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