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Author Topic: Running split in a contest.  (Read 269 times)

ZL1BBW

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Running split in a contest.
« on: October 13, 2021, 02:44:45 PM »

Quite often, I find in CW contests that the rate slows down just from the number of people calling, its no use turning the beam, they are either all Eu, JA, I can swing the bream enough to sort out the W land callers.

Is it permissible to run a small split down the bottom end of the band, up 1 type of thing, or is this either frowned on, or against the rules.

Thanks
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KC0W

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2021, 02:57:23 PM »

 Not against the rules at all but I've never heard of anyone doing this.

                                  Tom KH0/KC0W
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VK7GN

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2021, 03:10:56 PM »

You risk losing your frequency. As you are not listening there and there is no pile then someone will start cqing. It also wastes two frequencies in an already crowded band. As a VK7 I know well the horrible piles that come out of europe you just have to persevere and try and get partial calls.
Martin VK7GN
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ZL1BBW

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2021, 03:51:31 PM »

You risk losing your frequency. As you are not listening there and there is no pile then someone will start cqing. It also wastes two frequencies in an already crowded band. As a VK7 I know well the horrible piles that come out of europe you just have to persevere and try and get partial calls.
Martin VK7GN

During OC CW I think there was only one other ZM1 stn on, so it made it a mad house, as the pileup got worse, my rate dropped badly, at one stage when it was all under control it was 3 a minute, then it fell off and became much too hard.  Even a small split, probably less that the width of some stations key clicks I was thinking would help a lot.  Even the partial calls didnt work in the end.

Will see how wpx goes alog and might slide the bottom end and give it a whirl.

Hows things in VK7 land?

Cheers  Gavin ZM1M
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N2SR

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2021, 03:25:32 AM »

As others have said, not against the rules, but low in the band is prime real estate.  I've heard other doing it, but above XX.100.   

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WB8VLC

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2021, 10:50:00 AM »

Not against the rules at all but I've never heard of anyone doing this.

                                  Tom KH0/KC0W

3D2AG was doing this sunday on 10 meter CW around 28.028 listening up around 1 K, even though it was at night time and on a non crowded band it was still no issue at all and worked out fine.

Just announce on CW after giving your call > UP 1 to 3 or something like that and it should work good.
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ZL1BBW

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2021, 03:44:40 PM »

Well will see how it goes, will keep on simplex until it becomes too much of a bun fight, then probably try up1.  I often have to operate up1 on 20 even during the week, once the band opens to EU JA its just a wall and then nobody gets a report.
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KC0W

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2021, 08:44:40 PM »

Not against the rules at all but I've never heard of anyone doing this.

                                  Tom KH0/KC0W

3D2AG was doing this sunday on 10 meter CW around 28.028 listening up around 1 K, even though it was at night time and on a non crowded band it was still no issue at all and worked out fine.

Just announce on CW after giving your call > UP 1 to 3 or something like that and it should work good.

 Since this thread is about running split during a contest I assume 3D2AG was contesting while running split. What contest were they participating in?
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ZL1BBW

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2021, 09:55:25 PM »

Not against the rules at all but I've never heard of anyone doing this.

                                  Tom KH0/KC0W

3D2AG was doing this sunday on 10 meter CW around 28.028 listening up around 1 K, even though it was at night time and on a non crowded band it was still no issue at all and worked out fine.

Just announce on CW after giving your call > UP 1 to 3 or something like that and it should work good.

 Since this thread is about running split during a contest I assume 3D2AG was contesting while running split. What contest were they participating in?

They always run split, as well as another guy in the Pacific.

Feeling split tonight, theres a call from some academics thagt we need to go back in L4 lockdown to help protect the un vaccinated,.
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N4OGW

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2021, 06:09:47 AM »

One thing you can you is to just tune up slightly with RIT (without saying you are listening up). The smarter operators will figure this out quickly and call off frequency. You do need to be loud however, otherwise stations in the pileup will have trouble copying you.

Tor N4OGW
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KC0W

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2021, 10:24:34 AM »


 I thought this thread was about operating split while contesting? ??? I guess it's focus has now changed to stations who run split while DXing.   

 Yes, V73NS always listens up 1 while general DXing. Quite silly in my opinion. I have listened to him DXing MANY times before. He has zero callers for 10+ minutes at a time yet he still runs split............Silly.
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WB8VLC

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2021, 12:02:01 PM »

                                  Tom KH0/KC0W
[/quote]

3D2AG was doing this sunday on 10 meter CW around 28.028 listening up around 1 K, even though it was at night time and on a non crowded band it was still no issue at all and worked out fine.

Just announce on CW after giving your call > UP 1 to 3 or something like that and it should work good.
[/quote]

 Since this thread is about running split during a contest I assume 3D2AG was contesting while running split. What contest were they participating in?
[/quote]

I have no idea what contest it was cuz I don't contest I just search around by turning my radios dial and look for dx, then I  sent him a valid  559 report and then a Gl/contest for good luck in the contests.  I think it could have been some kind of Oceania contest or something like that.
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K3TN

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Re: Running split in a contest.
« Reply #12 on: October 16, 2021, 04:09:26 AM »

There is a good reason not to run split during a contest, or at least any of the major contests.

Almost inevitably, someone will start CQing on your listening frequency (or someone already was listening on your chosen listening frequency.)  He will hear the other stations calling, think they are calling him, calling them and act as QRM on your listening freq. If he is loud enough, he will get spotted, start working stations that come to the freq and you will start hearing stations calling him, but think they are calling you!

So, generally going split not very effective during any of the major contests that have high levels of CQing going on.

That said, years I ago I was K3TN/KP2 and one of the JA CW contests was running and I had a massive pileup of medium strength signals and just had to widen it out. I did the RIT thing, but EU could hear me and even though I was calling CQ JA, many EU stations must have thought that meant Join in Anyone and were essentially jamming my TX freq and slowing things down.  So, started sending JA UP to thin that out.

In that regional contest, not that many CQers so it worked fine. Wouldn't do it in one of the major contest, domestic or DX, for the reasons above.

73 John K3TN
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