Re: [amsat-bb] Re: a place for QRP ops

[Al Lawler <alawler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[wayne estes said:]
> Agreed, but this has nothing to do with the subject of QRP.  Yes, I have
>encountered alligators calling CQ. 


 This brings up an interesting point.  A well equipped
station calling cq into a bad squint angle at a level
which allows him to just hear his own downlink 
(and not trip leila)  will sound VERY loud to the person 
listening with 0 degrees of squint.

  Likewise,  higher signal levels would be required for
anybody at 0 squint who is trying to work someone in a
more "squint challenged" location.

  Ideally, when both stations are seeing a squint of 0,
very little power is required.  As squint increases for
one or more parties, the "minimum power" required for the
qso can be substantially higher than  2 "0 squint" 
stations.  

  I don't doubt that there are alligators on ao-40,
stepping on QRP stations, but there is also a point 
at which a well equipped station at a bad squint can
potentiallly step on a lower power QSO despite 
making a good faith effort to ensure the frequency
is clear.  Anytime you can't hear the transponder
noise-floor (for whatever reason),  you run the 
risk of squashing somebody else.

The rule of thumb on ao-40 "seems" to 
be that if you;re running the minimum power necessary
for your situation, and  don't trip leila, you're doing ok.  
Perhapse this thinking needs to be modified.


>That indicates that they
> couldn't really hear themselves when calling CQ.


  I'd probably fit into this class.  When operating
into a bad squint angle, I have tried reducing my
power to the point where  I can't hear my downlink,
figuring that I was still VERY strong to those who
were in the primary coverage area of the antennas.  
Unfortunately, folks answered me at the same signal
level (which is a reasonable thing to do),  so I
couldn't hear them either... :^)

  As a practical matter, I don't try to operate into
bad squint angles anymore...


  -al
  WB1BQE
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