On 30 Jun 2004 at 4:01, W4ZV wrote:
> You may have missed the point Jim. 100 watts is 13 dB stronger
> than 5 watts. If most QRP stations like myself found that CQ-ing was
> simply not effective and did S&P only, the universe of stations to
> work is FAR less. I suspect most stations CQ-ing were 100 watts. Also
> many guys choose to mainly do S&P independent of power. If you cannot
> effectively CQ, you are going to miss both the QRP guys who are S&P
> only as well as the 100 watt guys who choose not to CQ. You can never
> do well in any contest (except for the NCJ Sprints) unless you can
> maintain effective rates CQ-ing.
As somebody who has successfully entered many contests in the QRP
sections (and I cannot comment on FD as that is a US domestic contest
and didn't even work anybody in it myself) I would tend to disagree
with some of Bill's comments. CQing can be just as effective as S&P
even when you are running QRP, and you indeed do need to have a
reasonable number of QSOs from CQs to catch those who are only
S&Ping.
A good example of where the QRP boys do nearly as well as the QRO
boys is in the new RSGB club challenge contests. These are short
contests of just 90 minutes on 80m on various weekday evenings, and
there are CW, SSB and data legs. At least for the CW (and I am told
also the SSB) sections these are 90 minutes of shear bedlam, they are
very well supported. Using S&P alone I have easily managed a QSO rate
of 75/hour in the first half hour. Of course when you have worked all
the big boys you need to hunt more for the lesser guys and hence the
QSO rate slows and CQing becomes a must. In the last leg I worked 64
stations in the 90 minutes, the QRO guys got approaching 100, so the
power doesn't really make that much difference...
And see my results in last year's ARRL 10m contest in this month's
QST - even an honourary mention in the write-up!
In CQWPX CW (on current claimed scores I appear to be WORLD 4th in
QRP) I managed an QSO rate of around 30/hr in my 36 hours of
operating. On the busier bands like 20m and 40m CQing was largely
unsuccessful, but on 10m when it opened briefly for sporadic E I
could get a higher QSO rate from CQing.
It is very easy to con yourself that you are wasting your time CQing
in contests, but I find the right mix of S&P and CQ certainly does
work.
Good Luck
Dave G3YMC
http://www.davesergeant.com_______________________________________________
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