[SADXA] Interesting VP6D Operating Practices

[W7EXG (Bill)]

Hi Wes,

Well, some of you  members are way ahead of my 8 band slots. 

Was hoping to pick up 10/12m today, but I heard nothing, and think only a
few FT8s Qs were made on 12m. 

Yes, as I mentioned to Jerry, your double function split button could be
tricky, for someone who is not familiar with the rig. 

Yes, I found the Up 5, and NO TUNING was interesting as well. There was a
big pileup on the up 5 frequency. Big Antennas, and Legal Limits Win, unless
your lucky. 

Thanks for your response Wes, 

Best 73's
Bill W7EXG

-----Original Message-----
From: sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Wes Stewart
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2018 12:30 PM
To: sadxa at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [SADXA] Interesting VP6D Operating Practices

I have now worked them at least once on 10 through 160 on CW, 12 through 40
on 
SSB, 15 through 20 on RTTY and 12 through 80 on (yuck) FT8 for a total (I
think) 
of 29 slots.

Not once have I worked them on their QRG.

But Bill's observation about operator experience might be correct, although
all 
of these guys have been on other expeditions where Elecraft K3s have been
used.  
Nevertheless, I have been using them since 2008 and I on occasion receive
the 
"He's working up dummy" message.

The reason for this has to do with the ergonomics, or lack thereof, of the
K3.  
Most buttons on the radio are dual (or more) function, where a "tap" does
one 
thing and a "hold" does another. Regrettably, the button that puts the radio

into "split" needs a "hold."  The "tap" copies A to B.  So an operator can
dial 
in a TX frequency on VFO B, while listening on a different frequency on VFO
A.  
If he decides to go split, and bobbles while punching the button, he can 
inadvertently copy (overwrite) A into B and then go on to hold the button 
putting the radio into split.  The "split" indicator light will be on, but 
unfortunately both VFOs are on the same frequency.

Of course, if he is tuning for callers he will know this instantly.  But
when he 
announces that he isn't tuning and listening on a particular frequency he
will 
never know.

Wes  N7WS

On 10/30/2018 11:45 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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