Although far from exhaustive, here are a few tips and observations, relating to SSB DX-ing, not only pertaining to the HF bands, but also where appropriate, VHF/UHF as well.
If there is just one takeaway to be derived from this list, it would be, listen, listen and listen again before jumping in with both feet…!
Transceiver Settings
- Apart from employing a suitable microphone, possibly with an insert whose audio frequency response is tailored for HF/DX communication such as a Heil headset/boom, it is important that mic gain, audio equalisation, (if used), and compression settings are correctly adjusted and checked.
- Reading the manual obviously helps, (who reads manuals!), but there are also a number of other ways that can be employed to hopefully avoid on-air embarrassment, whilst just as importantly allowing you to present a clear intelligible signal that a DX station will hopefully more easily discern through the noise and myriad of stations calling them. There is nothing more satisfying then having successfully broken the pileup and worked the DX after hopefully a couple of calls, but also to be told by the DX station that your audio is excellent..
- If your transceiver or TX is reasonably popular then there is likely an on-line forum and/or a groups.io discussion group where more than likely someone has already asked or discussed suitable settings appertaining to TX audio, and what works or doesn’t. This is especially useful if the manual only gave a general overview for instance. If so, having initially followed the manual, this would be a good starting point for adjustments, but remember your voice characteristics are different to everyone else, so be prepared to make some changes.
- Listening to yourself on a separate receiver via (very) low power/dummy load in the shack might help but doesn’t work that well in practice.. However listening to yourself via a webSDR that is ‘in range’ is a possibility depending on received signal strength and noise levels etc.
- The best method though is to enlist the help of another station who can monitor your transmission and feedback accordingly.
- Time taken setting up your radio will pay dividends later when working DX.
Operating
- You
hear a (DX) station working a pile-up, but you don’t know the stations
callsign. Annoyingly, the station hasn’t given their callsign in quite a
while – which happens quite a lot unfortunately. Don’t call blind and work
the station, hoping to confirm their call later, but, and although
frustrating, it is good operating practice to be patient, listen, and wait
for confirmation of their callsign before working/logging them. Quite
often you will hear a station turn up, work the DX and then constantly keep
interjecting requesting his/her callsign post event – not good!
- You
see a DX stations callsign spotted on the cluster and you immediately QSY
and work/log that station. At the same time you may have automatically
uploaded the QSO to ClubLog and/or other on-line databases for instance.
But, did you wait to check the callsign of the DX prior to working them, or did you rely solely on the callsign given on the cluster? It is quite common for a callsign to be reported incorrectly on the cluster, usually as a more exotic country than it really is, which also creates a bit of a feeding frenzy! If you do discover there was an issue after having worked the station you then have to back out the entry in your log and also any on-line databases, which can be very annoying as it all takes time. Hence check first by listening/confirming the callsign despite what the cluster reports.
- If you are trying to work a DX or
DX-pedition station but frustratingly, even after hours of calling, you
still can’t break the pile-up, don’t give up. Just tune away and look for
alternative DX, have a sandwich, make a cup of tea etc; and then return
later in the day. If the station is still active, such as a contest
station, and also copyable, there is a good chance you will now work it,
quite often after the first call, as by then the propagation will
(hopefully) have changed in your favour as the DX is not overwhelmed by
southern European stations!
- Likewise,
a DX-pediton when first starting will normally be very hard to work as the
‘big-guns’ will be out in force. If you have the nerve, the best method to
avoid frustrating and wasted hours, plus a hoarse voice from shouting at
the microphone, is to wait until they are getting towards the end of their
time at their location and then try to work them. This policy can pay
dividends as the pileup hopefully thins out, but be warned this doesn’t
always work. The pileups might never subside – it does happen, or the
propagation falls flat on its face, or, as quite often happens, the
DX-expedition leaves earlier than planned due to bad weather being
forecast etc. If you fail to work them, adopt a sanguine outlook as it’s
quite likely, unless ultra rare, that a DX-expedition to the same location
will be repeated.
- Contests
are a good time to work countries/DX that are very spasmodic or aren’t
normally operational. One way to have an easier time of it and beat the
pileups/ensure a QSO, especially if likely to be in great demand, is to
tune around listening for them putting out test calls/asking for reports
up to a week ahead of the actual contest. For instance, quite a few of the
‘rare-ish’ Caribbean islands are activated in advance of the CQWW contest,
usually with booming signals and very easy to work.
- DX
working split can be a challenge. However there are a few ‘tricks’ that
can be adopted that could work in your favour.
Rather than just placing yourself at a random spot within the split, alternatively, if there is propagation, try to follow where the DX is working the split by listening for the stations he is contacting. Work out which way he is tuning, and plonk yourself slightly above (or below) the last call, then listen for the previous QSO to end and then call. Others will be doing the same so this may require some degree of patience, but this does work.
If the pileup in the split is especially bad and there are stations everywhere constantly calling, another trick is to position yourself just slightly outside the limit of the split and call. This quite often works as the DX will be having problems resolving calls within the split and will often will tune higher or lower than advertised.
Also, it is very important that you listen very carefully to what the DX is saying. Quite often, especially if they are having trouble resolving calls, the DX station will suddenly nominate a specific spot frequency either inside or even outside of the split. From experience the majority of stations will miss this as they are so busy incessantly calling. Be prepared to rapidly move the TX dial and usually you will sail through with your first call.
- Believe
it or not, a DX non contest station will quite often like to have a quick
chat as relief from the melee of non stop calling stations especially if
some of them just keep calling incessantly over the top of everyone else..
Listen to the QSO’s and try to read the situation, as sometimes it is
quite a good idea to offer your name and a few pertinent details which the
DX will pick up on, especially if from the UK, who will then will stop to
have a quick chat. This may not go down well with some of the stations
calling but usually the callers are respectful and will wait for your QSO
to finish.
- DX
working by numbers – love it or hate it, (does anyone love it!?), can
unquestionably be a very frustrating experience, as inevitably you come
across the DX station just as they call for the number one up from yours!
If the DX is not too well disciplined regarding how many of each number
they work each time, it can then then take a very long time to get back to
you again, by which time the propagation may have changed, or you have to
go to bed or have to leave for an appointment etc; so not an ideal way to
work DX.
Additionally a very common occurrence is for a station to chance their arm and call out of sequence. Just as common is for the DX to quite happily work them! This then can sometimes lead to a free for all to which the DX gets very frustrated and then closes down in a huff..
Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do when a DX station wants to work by numbers but be patient and hope your turn will eventually come. Otherwise just walk away and hopefully be more productive by finding other DX to work.
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