[South Florida DX Association] TX3A - update November 21st - Messy Pile-Up on 80 (11-21-2009 from AA7JV)]

[Bill]

Sent with the kind permission of Bernie, W3UR and the DailyDX mailing list.
Good operating tips from TX3A operators.
Bill W2CQ

 
The weather has deteriorated somewhat, winds are up and are forecast to
increase further during the next few days. We have taken precautionary
measures and have strengthened the antenna guys and supports. We have also
fixed the NA Double Loop; twisted fishing line with the wire. It is much
harder to break now!

During the last two nights we have been operating SSB on 80 meters. This
seemed to have been in big demand and we think we made a lot of people
happy. The pile-ups on 80, however, were very messy and operating techniques
by some (not by all) were very poor. While we can not do much about the
idiots who jam intentionally, a lot can be done to ensure a clean pile-up
(now there is an oxymoron for you). Remember, having a high QSO rate is in
all of our interests! Here are a few operating tips:

1) Please don't tune up within the listening frequency span. (Curb you auto
tuner too!)

2) Spread out! Tailgating rarely works on 80 because everybody hears
everybody else and too many stations jump and end up calling on the same
frequency at the same time. Pick a (relatively) clear frequency and call
regularly. Don't call too long, but don't call too seldom either. As the
operator tunes around, he will get your signal and he will be a lot more
likely to copy your call. Remember, we want you in the log (correctly) as
much you do!

3) When we are in contact with another station, or asking about another
partial call, stop calling! All you cause is QRM. The operator WILL NOT
SWITCH TO YOU, even if you are louder! He will try to complete the first QSO
and all you do is slow him - and ultimately yourself - down.

4) Don't call if you do not copy TX3A!

Top Band: Good conditions, finally! We had a great night of excellent
conditions (as predicted by N4IS) and had the modified Double Loop solidly
up. Signals from NA were excellent until about 1200 Z, when conditions
deteriorated rapidly. There was also a very rapid QSB on most signals (at a
rate of 2 Hz!), which we later found to be a fault in the K3. A good slap
seemed to have "cured" the fault, but by then we have QSY-d to 80 m SSB. We
came back to 160 at 1710, to very good signals and a very productive run of
European stations. The only thing to mar the great conditions were a number
of stations with very strong signals who persisted in calling but never
heard us coming back. Eventually, we called with DWN 4 (instead of the usual
DWN 5) to shake these \"one-way\" stations (and their QRM) off. Things went
well after that, all the way till our SR at 1855.

Bernie McClenny, W3UR 
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