Saturday, May 7, 2011

These are the sort of SSB pile-ups that I avoid like the plague


This is the sort of chaos you hear on the HF bands when a rare country is on. In this case, AH0J (Mariana Islands, Pacific Ocean) is calling cq and half the world is answering. This is only a short clip, but I can assure you that during several minutes' listening it became apparent that a lot of the hams calling him were not listening to him, just calling and calling continuously, causing QRM on the people he was trying to work. Some of these pile-up situations bring out the very worst in bad operators. And the CW pile-ups are even worse. Some operators continue to call when some other country has been called and cause QRM over and over again. All I can say is that I'm glad I have a VFO and a band selector so I can QSY out of there.

7 comments:

  1. Anthony it just sounds like one loooonnngggg garble of noise.

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  2. That's why I stay away - one old Butternut and 100 watts ain't going to crack that cacophony. It is ridiculous though, how they just keep calling and calling. Doesn't anyone listen any more?? :D

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  3. Hi Anthony, best thing is to get out of there. It must be a hell for the operator at AH0J. What should you do when you were the operator in charge? I would probabely QSY. 73, Bas

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  4. I don't know if this situation will ever improve. People are calling in like their lives depended on it. Why don't they want to hear all the other exotic stations instead of massaging their own ego's. Science first, sport second? Mike M0SAZ

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  5. In intense pile-ups like this, the operator can do a few things to help the situation -> like splitting 5 to 10 up and spreading it out a bit, working by numbers, or even calling by continent etc. I have worked some hefty SSB pile-ups and you really have to show them who's boss. For those stations that keep calling and calling and calling, warn them -> keep calling and I will not work you! That usually puts manners on them!!

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  6. Oh Dear! - They should be reminded of the DX CODE OF CONDUCT

    I will listen, and listen, and then listen again before calling.

    I will only call if I can copy the DX station properly.

    I will not trust the DX cluster and will be sure of the DX station's call sign before calling.

    I will not interfere with the DX station nor anyone calling and will never tune up on the DX frequency or in the QSX slot.

    I will wait for the DX station to end a contact before I call.

    I will always send my full call sign.

    I will call and then listen for a reasonable interval. I will not call continuously.

    I will not transmit when the DX operator calls another call sign, not mine.

    I will not transmit when the DX operator queries a call sign not like mine.

    I will not transmit when the DX station requests geographic areas other than mine.

    When the DX operator calls me, I will not repeat my call sign unless I think he has copied it incorrectly.

    I will be thankful if and when I do make a contact.

    I will respect my fellow hams and conduct myself so as to earn their respect.

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  7. I was listening on CW to a JY calling on 15m yesterday. This guy from a certain Island in the Atlantic was calling constantly (the JY was working simplex). Made it hard to hear anything. He was calling so often that on several occasions he obliterated the Jordanian DX station. How could one possibly expect to work a DX station when one is calling over them??

    But the most shocking part was when I looked up his callsign on QRZ.com and discovered he is on the Honour Roll. He has worked something like 338 DXCC entities. I wondered how the hell it was possible for someone with such poor listening skills to get on the honour roll??

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