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Low-Power Contesting Help
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by VE3YGN on October 10, 2000
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I'm a small-pistol (100W with 20m and 40m dipoles off the back of the house), and I'm looking for advice on how to contest effectively with my small signal. How can LP stns work anyone other than +kW US-stns? Do I need to go single-band only? Any methods or tips to help an LP stn work more multipliers would be greatly appreciated.
thx de VE3YGN
- Travis Fitzgerald
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RE: Low-Power Contesting Help
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by N2MG on October 11, 2000
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General rule for all contests: Start on the highest frequency band that's open. Find out what that is by checking propagation, MUF, and listening. If the MUF is there, higher frequencies offer the least "resistance" (lower absorption) to signals, and 15 (can you use your 40m antenna here?) and 10 meters (put up something ASAP!) are relatively big bands - so there's lots of room, even for small signals.
I like to tune DOWN the band, so I might try picking a spot high in the band and tuning my way down, stopping on all the DX and calling them (S&P). If you get through quickly to several stations in a row, I'd try to find a spot (still high in the band) and call CQ. Pay constant attention to be sure that no one else appears on your frequency that you can't hear but who is running guys that you CAN hear. Also, don't get too close in freq to someone who may be very loud into your target (Europe) but seems weak to you. In Europe, you may be covered up by the bandwidth of this guy's signal.
If you cannot get through without several calls to lots of stations, you might be better off continuing the S&P but use your bandmap feature (you are using computer logging and control, right?) to keep track of the tough ones so you can go back in a flash.
Hint: CQWW and ARRL DX are very different contests. In ARRL, the rest of the world will seek you out if you are W/VE. In CQWW, not nearly so. The first day or so, it will be frustratingly difficult for you to effectively call Europeans through what amounts to a European curtain - they will all be working each other. Calling CQ will be even more frustrating for the same reason.
Hint: The Caribbean DXpeditions (learn their calls before the contest starts) will be there BEGGING for QSOs on the second day - don't spend too much time trying to bust their pileups in the first few hours - especially since they WILL be beaming Europe!
I hope you find some of this useful.
73 Mike N2MG
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