DXing from an Overseas Perspective

Perhaps my perspective as an active ham from Paraguay will help some beginning DXer to put more DX in the log. I have enjoyed the articles on DXing and hope this one will give others an insight into the mentality and operating practices of those of us who live where there is always more demand for QSOs than we have time to answer.

Paraguay (ZP) is a semi-desirable DX catch. If you have DXCC or more, you don’t need us . . . but many do, apparently. Not many of us are active at the moment: Doug ZP6CW; Pino ZP4KFX; Tom’s contest station ZP0R; me ZP9EH, and a couple of others (ZP5’s CGL, RPO, VIA come to mind). On CW or RTTY we draw a fair amount of pressure.

My station is more modest than most (see QRZ.COM). I’ve got a FT-757 running barefoot to an 80-meter dipole fed with ladder line from an old MFJ tuner. On RTTY and PSK31 I run about 25 watts AFSK output. Only for two of my 48 years on the air have I had the luxury of a beam, and I’ve never enjoyed more than 100 watts output.

So what am I thinking when I sit down at the rig? I’m in one of three modes.

1. Hunter. Here I am looking for new ones. If you are not new for me, or at least a new band/mode combination, you won’t know I’m there. I have the cluster running (VE7CC), I’m checking the beacon system to see what path may be open but quiet, and 95% of the time I’m listening but not transmitting.

2. Gabber. Sometimes I just want to ragchew . . . usually on CW. I’m listening for an attractive CQ to answer. What catches my ear is a clean signal, crisp accurate keying on CW (I want to copy in my head at 20-25 wpm), and good operating practice. If I hear a bunch of mistakes or bad spacing on your own call and CQ, I won’t call.

Hint: If I answer your CQ and you are not rare, I’m probably willing to chat a while. Don’t assume that you must give me a “TU 5NN SK”.

Hint: If I’m hunting without success, I can be lured into the “gabber” mode by a good signal. If I like what I hear, I’ll try a call . . . remember that many of us have more modest stations and weaker signals than you have. Don’t be afraid to come back to my S4 call.

Hint: If you have found me and I am not in the contest-style run mode, should you tail end? Yes, IF you don’t step on the final transmission of the guy I’m working. That really irks me. Do your best to make sure both of us have made our final transmission. THEN call. You probably won’t know which one of us has the right to the frequency. If I answered the other guy’s CQ, I don’t feel right about taking over and running QSOs on the frequency. I’ll probably answer “up up”, meaning go up about 2 kHz and you call me. But maybe he answered me, and I’ll stay on the frequency and answer you.

3. Fisher. In this mode I am looking to generate a pileup and run. I often start out in this mode calling CQ, but will chat with the first one or two. I watch the cluster spots and will often exchange a bit more information until I have been spotted; then I’ll shift to a contest style exchange. My best rate is only a little over a QSO per minute, so I won’t go all the way to “W4XXX 5NN” and “TU”.

Hint: Take your cue from the DX station. If I give you my name, give me yours, and perhaps your state. In my opinion, “op mike in NY” works better than “My name is Mike and my QTH is NY.”

Hint: Sending your call once in the pileup might be okay if you have a good signal. Sending it twice (W4XXX W4XXX) would be normal. More than that might break the rhythm of the DX station and not be useful, particularly if the DX is working them simplex, on his own frequency. Send cleanly with good spacing and no errors. If you make a mistake on your own call, stop and wait for another opportunity . . . it is really hard for the DX station if he hears two versions of the same call!

Hint: If my answer is just “W4XXX 5NN” then all I really want from you is an acknowledgment. What works best from my end, with the rather broad passband in the receiver, is “TU 5NN de W4XXX”. I like having your call at the end after the frequency has quieted a bit. It is my last chance to check the screen (if I’m running N1MM Logger) or my paper pad for your call. Accuracy is much more important to me than speed.

Hint: If I give you your report a second time, it means I’m not sure about your call. If I made a mistake, a good answer would be “W4XXZ TU 5NN de W4XXZ”. I have two chances to correct your call. If I made a mistake the first time, I’ll re-send your report, “W4XXZ 5NN”. What I would like to hear is a confirmation that I now have it right. “QSL QSL de W4XXZ” works well. If still wrong, perhaps “no no de W4XXZ”.

Hint: Listen for my final call, “W4XXZ TU de ZP9EH” or something like that. Personally, I would prefer that you not respond to my final. I’m already in the “copy another call” mode and you’re already in the log.

What this QSO looks like can be as short as this:

"W4XXX" (from you),
"W4XXX 5NN" (from me),
"5NN" (from you),
"ZP9EH" (from me).

I don’t like this truncated form, but it is heard quite a bit. I would prefer a bit longer, like:

"W4XXX" (you),
"W4XXX 5NN" (me),
"TU 5NN de W4XXX", OR “ZP9EH TU 5NN de W4XXX” (you),
"W4XXX TU 73 de ZP9EH" (me)

Hint: If you are pretty sure you have a good signal, a slight delay between letters of your call gives me a chance to write it down with less chance of a mistake. Speed is not important, anything from 13 to 25 wpm works for me. Give me a chance to either write your call or enter it in the computer. My response will not be immediate . . . maybe a second after you stop.

Hint: If you are not a real strong signal, moving just slightly off frequency may help me hear your call better. Hanging out at the edges of a split pileup may give you a better chance at a QSO than being zero-beat with the big guns.

Two more general suggestions and I’m done.

1. Please check your entry in QRZ.COM. Make sure your address is your current QTH, and a current email address is useful. I often check my QSOs against QRZ to catch possible blown calls, and I enjoy seeing a picture of you and reading a bit about you and your location – and not just your radio activities.

2. Please sign up for Logbook of the World, and use it. It is a wonderful way to confirm contacts without cost. I also have a manager (a good one: Gert K5WW) for QSL cards, but I wish everyone (especially other DX) would register with LoTW.

I hope the view from my end will help some of the less-experienced hunters. For the others, help is not needed. I have a thick skin and don’t take myself too seriously, so you needn’t worry about hurting my feelings! 73 and good DX,

Steve Haines, ZP9EH/W9CPI

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