WQ6X Dual-OPs the DL-Dx RTTY & Marconi Cw Contests

What do you do on the 4th of July weekend when most celebrations have been sidelined?  If you're a radiosport contester like me, the answer is quite simple: play around in two European radio contests: The DL-Dx RTTY contest and the Marconi Memorial Cw GiG.

My original plan was to dual-OP both contests.  Cw keying problems sidelined running the Marconi GiG from Concord as WQ6X.  Of course, AFTER the weekend is over I resolved the keying problem in under five minutes - GO Figure.  Altho RTTY operation ran well for WQ6X, I was so preoccupied with running contests remotely as NX6T that only 2 RTTY QSOs made it into the WQ6X log in Concord; at LEAST I can say "I WuZ THERE!"

Since the Field Day sailboat operation is a week behind us, I brought back the ICOM 7000,
this time along with its 7" video monitor, making it even more useful in the shack; especially
when it comes to SWL'ing - it's main function right now.  Before this weekend I wrote up a BLAST from the Past Blog entry about the Marconi Memorial contest - [CLICK HERE] to read that.

Throughout the weekend, a number of different anomalies were noted - including:

• Throughout the day (18:20z & 20:18z in particular), the 14111.11 run frequency
  seemed to bring out the multi-mode-digital boys with all manner of creative sounds to QRM "those pesky contesters" - as one Ssb critic once called us.  At one point, the digital interference sounded like a SICK Chicken; actually it was a Sick CHICKEN who chose to deliberately QRM a thriving run frequency.

• 15 Meters was CLEARLY open, yet nearly 30 minutes of CQ time dispersed throughout the afternoon produced a WHOPPING 2 QSOs.  I've written about the importance of Calling CQ ([CLICK HERE] &[CLICK HERE]), yet CQ calls are worthless if my intended audience just ASSUMES that 15 meters is going to be DEAD and don't even look for REAL.  One thing I know about radio wave communication is that openings can occur
  at anytime, on any frequency, for any reason, OR, for no apparent reason at all.
• Next up is the case of juicy ZL3P.  Not only would he be a GooD catch, but an
  incredible feat for that time of day.  The catch: he was ZERO-BEAT with the NCDXF beacon frequency - Tsk Tsk - HE should know better.  If I work him I sanction JAMMING Beacon transmissions just because I want 2-points and a multiplier.  <<S I G H!>>
  About 20 minutes later he called in on my 14089.89 run frequency; I got my 2-points
  and multiplier and retained my ethical stance that beacon frequencies should be given PLENTY of ROOM to operate.  There is 50-khz of RTTY-available spectrum ABOVE 14.100 - give the beacons some room!
• The DUP QSO Boys were out in force during BOTH contests.  I JUST wrote about this problem and now it seems to be getting worse (or am I becoming more sensitive to it?).  Nothing worse than having a station repeat his call 5 times (he changes the letters on each sending) and then on the SIXTH repeat he sends it correctly: W6-DUP - and it
  shows up as a Dupe - DuH!  Mr. W6DUP just wasted 40 seconds of run time from his being out in la-la land and calling me for the FIFTH time that day (after working me in
  the morning).  By the time we sort it all out, all the other calling stations got impatient
  (or bored) and moved on to find stations they don't have to wait around for.

• Here is a FACT that is HARDLY an anomaly: calling stations GIVE UP TOO EASILY. 
  In general, it seems that after the third call to me many stations just give up and move on.  If you don't mind my asking: WHERE ARE YOU GOING?  Do you have other QSOs more important than working MY station?  You invested 3 calls to me; you may as well keep going.  All too often I finally piece your call together send you an exchange, and you are LONG GONE.  I repeat the exchange 3 times - if no response from you then it's Ctrl-W to the rescue (WIPE) and I move on; only to have you call in again 5 minutes later and we get to try it all over again.
• Probably the Dingle-Dork of the weekend award is the guy on Cw who jumped onto my 7062.62 run frequency telling me QRL (the frequency is in use); yes, it IS in use Dewd
  and I have been using it for nearly 1/2 hour.
  I guess 7062.62 was his Saturday morning RAGCHEW frequency and he didn't like sharing it.  He pointed his wimpy Rota-Dipole in my direction and realized I had been there all along.  Could he not move up/down 5kc and send his buddy a TEXT message that he is QSX on 7067.62?  Is it really all that difficult?

• The 40-meter Russian military beacons were a bit of an anomaly this weekend. 
  The "F" and "M" beacons were easily heard both evenings.  The "K" beacon was nowhere to be found.  Sweeping the Shorty-40 yagi from 270-degs to 0-degs and parking it at 300. nothing was heard from the "K" beacon.  Awhile back, I wrote a couple of Blogs about these beacons ([CLICK HERE] and [CLICK HERE]), noting that the "K" beacon has been exhibiting what I will call "fickle" behavior in recent weeks.  If you ask me, being OFF the air is just more fickle behavior.

It is amazing the different kinds of experiences that can come out of a minor-contest weekend,
when it coincides with a USA holiday like July 4th on a weekend.

Did YOU work the DL-Dx RTTY and/or Marconi Memorial Cw GiGs?

Is NX6T in YOUR LoG?