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Author Topic: My 2022 AFD Crossband test AAR  (Read 578 times)

NQ3M

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My 2022 AFD Crossband test AAR
« on: May 15, 2022, 05:15:16 AM »

Made contact with 19 of the 24 stations. Again there were over lapping freqs, improper call signs listed (printed vs station used) Heard 3 that were so deep in the weeds most of the time even if they could hear me I would have lost 4-5 words for every one I made out.

Some stations had operators that were very, very, new, however most others where old hands and were on point every second.

Issues I experienced.
Two operators had to be told to announce the listing freqs as for 15 minutes they just kept call CQ w/o listing same. Two others had to be told they were listening on USB on the 40 & 80 meter bands.

The operator at ADB again proved to be one of my favorites, on time, freq, mode and never gave up. He started with CW to make contact/s then switched to phone & stayed with it until the end.

My first contact was NIIW at about 0001Z,  last was ABH at about 2103. The interesting thing was this is the first year I have ever worked ABH but the 17 meter pipe line was strong this year. In the 10 years I've been doing this it was the first time to contact.  One thing the operator made comment to was the lack of operators at ABH. Which makes me wonder if in the past I was listing for what was never there?

Would like to see their AAR. Any MARS stations that may have not been on the air,( for whatever reason) would lend credence to ones ability and/or what they need to do, to resolve any station or operation/gear issues they may have.

Again my goal starting out was a clean sweep of all the stations. In order to complete that task mother nature needs to be kinder & all stations have to be heard. All that said I'm already looking forward to next year, as the mixed emotions have already subsided. LOL

NQ3M
73's
 
 
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WI9MJ

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Re: My 2022 AFD Crossband test AAR
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2022, 05:51:42 AM »

I was only able to operate for a couple hours but managed to log 5 stations.
ADB (Okinawa) was frustrating as i heard him but couldn't make contact because of same channel interference by NSS and an ongoing qso on his listening freq 14280.
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NQ3M

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Re: My 2022 AFD Crossband test AAR
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2022, 01:01:02 PM »

I was only able to operate for a couple hours but managed to log 5 stations.
ADB (Okinawa) was frustrating as i heard him but couldn't make contact because of same channel interference by NSS and an ongoing qso on his listening freq 14280.
That issue (or tactic) has cost me stations as well. One would think if when logging a contest your computer could scream Dup, theirs could as well when assigning freq's. That said, I have often wondered if that is intentional tactic to Gage this community's response/ability to same.  Timing & politeness have added Dup freq stations to my log more than once.  I have learned to set my paper work up by their start times, as well as list all their freq's to spot the overlapping of same. Once over lapping freq's and their locations are known, one can form a plan to try to work around, or thru that issue. Different start times help greatly, assuming they start on time, are on the right freq, in the right Tx/Rx mode, then announce where they are listening when they first key up. LOL

New operators have to be trained somewhere we all know that but, they should not be just thrown to the wolves either. Here again that could be a ploy to see if a Ham operator would go out of bounds for the good of everyone else.   :-X ;D

I am Not being critical of the MARS AFD C/B test or any of it's operators. AAR's should be fact based (not knee jerks) as to all relevant actions/points of view, as how to better train or complete a mission. If the issues pointed out here are but tactics, I fully understand why. Should they not be, relevant remedial action is required to correct same, so as to not frustrate newer Hams.

NQ3M
73's
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K6EK

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Re: My 2022 AFD Crossband test AAR
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2022, 07:38:22 AM »

Good job sir. I was only able to bag 5 of 24 but ADB was one of them. Being on the west coast may be problematic and this year QRN was high. Concur on the AAR's - especially if shared with the HAM community. Always room for improvement on my end too ;-)

Ken
K6EK
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NQ3M

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Re: My 2022 AFD Crossband test AAR
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2022, 01:17:11 PM »

I was really looking to work AAU (Ft Knox) as that is where I took Basic in 1964. Never heard that station at all and tried everything I knew to try.

An AAR from MARS would be very helpful, to all. Most would understand if a station was not on the air for one reason or the other. However not knowing leaves one to ponder ability/gear, which could lead to taking up residency in a padded room after awhile.  :)
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