Single-OP Two Stations (SO2S)

 

 

 

I often dual-OP more popular radiosport contests, like the DX contests and WPX GiGs. 
As a part of team-NX6T, I often run the "dinner shifts" followed by a sleep break followed
by the 2am to 5am GiGs, while the other OPs are sleeping.  For 5 years I used to make
the 900-mile round-trip drive for every contest.  Eventually I got tired of driving and switched
to taking the Oakland to Oceanside Amtrak run; it took the same amount of time, yet now
I could sleep, software design or compose contest Blog material like this one.

My last onsite appearance in Fallbrook was the WPX Cw contest the end of May in 2017.
I wrote a Weird Blog about this Weird Prefix event.  I had already been running NX6T in Fallbrook remotely during less popular radiosport contest events using the VNC viewer and the RCForb

software app to control the Elecraft K3 on the other end.  Currently, VNC Viewer is still our VPN
of choice.  To actually control the radio, I use a K3/0-Mini arrangement from my Alameda office
and the original K3/0 from my portable operation in Concord.

During major contests, in between the dinner and graveyard shifts, I put WQ6X on the air in
that same contest (and other minor GiGs that might also be happening that weekend), as well
as finding blocks of time for sleeping amidst all the pandemonium.  

 

 

 

The difference in reception quality between Concord, Fallbrook and Anza is often quite striking. 
Receivers in Anza often hear low-level layers of signals that I can only dream about in Concord. 
Then again, Concord is more-or-less positionally closer to most of Asia, altho Anza being on top
of a mountain has the advantage of elevation.

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, the caveat of running stations remotely is internet latency.  With the portable setup
at the Concord location I often experience periodic pulsing of the internet connection, which
can disrupt Cw/Ssb audio.  With RTTY, the decoded text is always available on the VNC screen. 
DX hounds and radiosport operators have spurred the technological advances in our radio world enabling worldwide SDR and beacon networks, as well as what I call ROIP (Radio Over Internet Protocol).

I contend that radiosport contesting can actually be a form of Emergency Preparedness training.
By running dual-OP operations, I receive TWICE the training in a single radiosport weekend. 

One weekend I actually accomplished a Triple-OP operation when I remoted into N6GEO's
radio on Friday/Saturday and then into NX6T in Anza on Saturday/Sunday, in addition to running
as WQ6X directly from Concord.  Theoretically, I could've run a Quad-OP or even Quint-OP operation. 

More recently a full-blown legitimate Triple-OP occurred during the California QSO Party.  
My goal was actually 2-part:

• Running as K6Q, beat the Contra Costa County record, I set back in 2017 as K6T.
• Set a first-time county QRP record running as WQ6X.

BOTH of those goals were accomplished.  Things flowed so near-flawlessly that I am now compelled to repeat this triple-OP concept for the 2022 November Sweepstakes Cw contest.   In addition to remoting in for NX6T, look for W6Q to run 100-watts from East Bay (EB) Section, interspersed
with WQ6X running 5-watts, also from the East Bay Section.

Running as 4x-OP would require 3x IP-address setup and testing before the actual remote operation.  While a bit more complex, if you can run SO2-R, you can run 4xOP - it's simply requires learning new forms of the radio juggling act. 

What about YOU?

Have you ever dual-OP'd or Triple-OP'd a radiosport weekend?

How DiD it turn out?