MO2R
�"A Sweepstakes Perspective"��by��KG5VK
SO2R with Multi-OPS
We are more passionate about Sweepstakes than any other contest, our first contest experiences were with high school buddies operating ARRL SS CW in 1972
Today we are a bit more "agressive" while ever more passionate about the comraderie of the sport...
Marcel N5VU and Marsh KA5M at the helm�during a Sweepstakes phone contest at KG5VK
A Comparison SO2R versus MO2R
SO2R
* use may force to multi-op entry, or at least assisted
MO2R
MO2R is simply more OPS with a SO2R designed station...
SO1R at K8KI
Good MO2R begins with SO2R
The best KISS is a single radio...
in fact if you automate everything interfacing the station with ops that have never been there is easy,
but most of us can't afford to automate everything in a 2 radio station and herein is one of the biggest challenges of those building a MO2R station....
Single Radio in Style at KA5M
A French KISS...
automation to a point and all else is kept simple
Example in my station my amps are not auto band auto tune,
so I elected to make antenna switching Manual, my logic is we as Hams have been conditioned to always change the band switch on the amp when we change the antenna to a different band.
Smart station owners will add an automated amp cutoff switch if high SWR is detected !
This was a bit ugly in that we had two different rigs, IC-756 Pro II and FT-1000MP
May 2009 Two FT-1000MP's
A Learning Curve
keep the second radio in the background....
The first 9 hours of SS is based almost solely on Q rate
Competitive stations need close to 1500 Q's in 24 hours in our ARRL Delta Division That's over 60 Q's per Hour
Sunday provides us less ops to work because many casual ops go to church or watch football instead of working us during the contest, so we need 90 to 120 Q an hour rates on Saturday !
These kind of rates are not made by an op that is distracted by a second radio or anything else, maybe that TV should go away?
As the rate declines....
the last nine hours of SS can be like pulling teeth !!!
keep the Q rate as high as you can, have a goal
like 60 Q per hour (60 times 9 hours gives us 540 QSO's)
plus the 1000 Q's from the first 15 hours = 1540 Q's
We made the Sweep, then will make the Division box,
provided The Tennesse contest group or some of the new LCC blood did not kick butt !!!
if we don't make the box we know our team had the most fun !
more station automation strategy....
Left radio is on 20m Antenna, Right is now on 80m
we strive to keep the buttons and switches to a minimum...
it might seem like a no brainer to add one sw for something like moving the rcv ant system from one radio to another
but we struggle with the addition of one more switch that may add to the seemingly complex array that already exist
when you build it you understand where all the buttons are and what they are for
guest may struggle to understand what you consider simple, after all they did not build it !
you want them to be able to operate with out being over tasked
Efficient use of the second radio....
another choice...... Tag Team
a second op at the second radio...........
However the rules are clear only one Transmit signal at any given time
So you must use lock out switches that prevent an op from transmitting on the second radio while the first op is giving an exchange
Two ops that work together side by side can master this fairly quick, we are still working on pairing ops together for this
there are basicly two methods for Tag Teaming.......
Second op looks for multipliers on the second rig..
The second op in the Tag Team finds stations not yet worked
enters the data in the second radio screen or jots a note to place in front of the Run Radio operator
Run op see's the action taken by the Tag Team OP (2nd man)
and works that station on the second rig
Or
The Tag Team member has his own Mic and makes the qso
while the primary or run op takes a swig of cola or just catches their breath from running Q's
Is it a good idea...
Single Radio.....
MO2R.....
For us the chance to add more Q's is worth the added effort
even if only a few ops use the second radio
We must work to educate guest OPS about MO2R with hopes they build their own SO2R station and become proficient at 2R operation.
other things Multi-Ops can do....
- not all Teams need two Radios
Team members could be assigned other task
Not related to operating
wow, you gotta be kidding !
...yeap if I go to K1TTT to operate I would not want to be the Coffee gopher
but there are folks happy to be assistants of the team
and they are much more than assitants
other jobs....
giving credit...
without my wife I would not be where I am....
Those of us that are passionate about our hobbies, must often be reminded about priorities
I am but one of those soles that does things in Extreme
As contesters many of us are a bit extreme and may need
a gentle reminder
to thank our spouse
So I share this....
Early in November 2006...
I was preparing to Cancel MO2R at KG5VK...
Great news my wife gets to come home from the hospital today.�I just talked to her and told her I was finishing a post to the contest team ops...��She said your not cancelling the contest are you, I said I was considering doing just that and she said absolutely not, I do not want you to cancel playing in SS with the guys at our home��Is my wife awesome or what !!!��Steve�KG5VK
Tri-Bander and a Pair of Mono's
The East Reservation (Antenna Farm)
See you in November for ARRL SS !!!