[SADXA] Interesting VP6D Operating Practices

[Gene K5GS]

I always read the blogs and reflectors after a DX-pedition. This note 
thread caused a chuckle when i read it to the team last night:

Most of us own and use K3 radios. What you're missing is the obvious.

We're in a tent, wind and generator noise, poor lighting, tired and 
sleep deprived, sometimes pouring rain, and occasionally we hit a button 
once too often. Sometimes the generator will take a dive and voltage 
sags cause something to change. Sometimes we're just too tired to notice 
the split indicator went off for some unknown reason. It's not the end 
of the world, we eventually right the ship.

On one 17m run I must have forgotten to punch Split when I opened, and a 
kind gentleman called on my freq and told me of the problem. I know it 
was in split when I set it up because I always check, something changed 
and I missed it.

I was the op on 15m who was listening only on 21.291.  What may have 
seemed like a goat rodeo to you was a perfect pileup to me. Working the 
pileup down on 291 (only) was a pleasure, the callers were disciplined 
and called only when I said QRZ or thank you. It was a wonderful 
experience. The biggest problem were the ones who were over compressed - 
splattering and unreadable, or those 1 - 2 kc off freq.

Also, we don't always come up on the published frequency. If a QSO is in 
progress on that freq we'll open up far enough away as to not bother the 
in progress QSO. We may or may not listen for calls on our xmit freq and 
then announce the split.

When you have 14 highly experienced DX and contest ops, you let each guy 
do it his way, we don't dictate a DX-pedition operating style.

Last night was our first full night's sleep in a real bed that wasn't 
rocking with the ship.

The Braveheart crew were absolutely wonderful, they made living on the 
island tolerable so we could work radios.

Cheers,
GS K5GS

On 10/30/2018 8:45 AM, W7EXG (Bill) wrote:
> Hi SADXA Group,
>
> While chasing the VP6D DX-pedition, I discovered some interesting operating
> practices that are unexplained.
>
> For example, I heard VP6D on 20m 14190 kHz (S9+) last night calling CQ for
> up 5, with no acknowledgment of any answering station. He kept calling and
> calling CQ. Finally, I decided to give him a call up 5, and he also did NOT
> answer me, even though I called and called. I decided he was listening
> somewhere else - but where?
>
> Finally I called him on HIS transmit frequency 14190 kHz (AND I KNOW THIS IS
> A LID practice!!).   Yup, he was listening to his transmit frequency, and
> gave me a 59 + report. LID operation works!!  He asked me to spot him in 20m
> which I did, because he was not getting any response.  I told him I WAS
> calling him up 5 and he did not hear me and I was ON this transmit freq.
>
> I dismissed this odd practice until today.
>
> I was on 18071 kHz, calling VP6D up 2 as requested. AGAIN -- NO ANSWER -
> from anyone, even though I could hear the pileup. He was calling and calling
> CQ. So, based on my seasoned DX experience with past VP6D stations, I became
> a LID AGAIN, and called him on HIS frequency, and YES, that IS where he was
> listening.
>
> Other stations calling realized his practice, and soon stared a pileup on
> his transmit frequency. WE ALL BECAME LIDS!! What fun was that!!
>
> I did hear one VP6D op say "I am listening UP 5 -- NO TUNING" which may be
> common practice?
>
> I am now thinking that these ops are using radios they are not familiar with
> and this may be the reason for this unexplained op practice. I think all of
> us have, at one time in our ham career, "misused" the offset function,
> especially with a new rig.
>
> Now we know why LIDS call on the DX station's transmit fre1quency.
>
> Don't get me wrong, I am NOT encouraging LID operation!!  Hi Hi
>
> This is one of my interesting observations of the VP6D operation.
>
> Best 73's
>
> Bill W7EXG
>
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