[SADXA] Interesting VP6D Operating Practices

[Wes Stewart]

I responded to Bill and the reflector on the day he posted it with an explanation.

Wes  N7WS

On 11/7/2018 4:04 PM, Gene K5GS wrote:
> 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