What the heck is all that SLOP BUCKET on 160????

[W7TFO]

I've been amazed how many hams I've talked to don't connect "CQ" with "Seek You".  Duh....

73DG

[WB2EMS]

I took a quick listen with the flex last night before bed and was sort of amused to see a station parked at 1801 with his lower side band extending a couple of Khz outside the band edge. He was calling automated CQ's, and surprisingly (or I guess not) generated several contacts while I was listening. Nobody seemed worried about the band edge. Maybe they don't realize the radio makes signals anyplace except where the dial reads.    This particular guy didn't seem to have his head in the game much. He got a reply, that was perfectly copyable here, and it took him about 8 tries to get the guys call right, but of course he was "59 in RI".

I find contests to be of some use stimulating activity on quiet bands, like up on VHF. I learned a lot about what was possible on VHF doing some of the VHF sweepstakes contests back in the early 80's, whereas most of the time the bands are dead. But on HF, at least on the lower bands where propagation is pretty predictable, it seems pretty pointless and boring. Sort of like sitting down in front of your computer with a list of IP addresses and typing PING. I refer to most of the contests as "Pingfests" around the contest folks in our club for that reason.  

I also think Field day is useful, although I prefer to approach it as an exercise in 'field expedient radio' rather than a contest. I'm content to throw up a system with some batteries and solar and get it working and make a few dozen contacts to verify it's working well and getting out, and then it starts feeling like playing PING again and I get bored and go do something else.

I wouldn't have an issues with contests, to each their own, if they were confined to some subset of the band. It's the total takeover like the RF locusts have come and the attitude that nothing else is important as getting a few more points that rubs me very much the wrong way.

[KF1Z]

I've been amazed how many hams I've talked to don't connect "CQ" with "Seek You".  Duh....

73DG

I would never have connected it either.....

I always thought it stood for "Calling General", ( or "General Call" )

[WA3VJB]

Where are they other 50-odd weeks a year?  It takes a  lot of work to get a really good signal on top band, and it usually isn't cheap. I find it hard to believe that anyone would really go to all that much trouble and spend all that much money just to get on the air and inanely swap five-nines for one or two weekends a year.

I disagree, Don, about the link between a station's ability to put out a good signal and spending a lot of time on the air.

Using myself as an example, my airtime on AM comes only when a band is in good shape and/or there are interesting stations to talk with. I am not compelled to get on every day or night, nor --once on the air -- do I feel that I must spend many hours at it.

And, by my own estimation, I've got a lot of work in my station, and it wasn't cheap to accomplish. The payoff for me is not quantity of air time, it's the quality of what I hope to get out of being on the air.  

The same satisfaction must exist for people in other parts of the hobby too, even if their activity or mode is not something I'm interested in.

[W7TFO]

"CQ" is another one of those abbreviation from the early days of wire telegraphy. 

Most land lines were Kinda like a party line, many ears were listening and the two letters followed by a name or train station call kept everyone else from asking "Who?"

Purely based on my personal experience, as my dad worked for Sufferin' Pacific, and I heard sounders in the yard office back in the early 50's.  They could break the main line East or West, but the circuit went from one end of their tracks to the other through Yuma. 

At that time, wire Morse could easily outdistance radio and, since it all belonged to the railroad, was more reliable and cheaper than the phone.

On radio, doesn't everyone follow it with a qualifier? 

i.e. CQ DX. 
CQ N8UH. 
CQ 75 meter AM.

or even CQ Contest.

73DG

[Steve - K4HX]

The proper way to do it is, "Calling Charlie Queen, Charlie Queen, calling Charlie Queen."

[KF1Z]

The proper way to do it is, "Calling Charlie Queen, Charlie Queen, calling Charlie Queen."

Does Charlie ever answer? 

[k4kyv]

When I was a kid and first started to listen to short wave on my parents' broadcast radio with SW band, I tuned into the ham bands and  listened to AM phone.  I kept hearing the same two stations calling each other all the time, but they never seemed to be able to make contact. One had the call sign LOCQ and the other was CQ20.

[KB2WIG]

"   Does Charlie ever answer?  "

Only if he's a queen.... ..

[KF1Z]

When I was a kid and first started to listen to short wave on my parents' broadcast radio with SW band, I tuned into the ham bands and  listened to AM phone.  I kept hearing the same two stations calling each other all the time, but they never seemed to be able to make contact. One had the call sign LOCQ and the other was CQ20.

 

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I've been amazed how many hams I've talked to don't connect "CQ" with "Seek You".  Duh....

73DG

So, then for the last almost 100 years, shouldn't the general call for contacts be "SU", "SU", "SU 75", etc.    Of course, for the texting individual/ham operator, this might be confusing as "SU" is used for "shut up" and "screw you" 

From the ARRL Handbook: "CQ means Calling any station"

Also

Study Guide to Exam Questions - Question Pool
T2A08
What is the meaning of the procedural signal “CQ”?

A. Call on the quarter hour
B. A new antenna is being tested (no station should answer)
C. Only the called station should transmit
D. Calling any station

Answer is (D)

[Steve - K4HX]

From the ARRL Handbook: "CQ means Calling any station"

Also

Study Guide to Exam Questions - Question Pool
T2A08
What is the meaning of the procedural signal “CQ”?

A. Call on the quarter hour
B. A new antenna is being tested (no station should answer)
C. Only the called station should transmit
D. Calling any station

Answer is (D)

It would appear not everyone understands this.

http://w2dtc.com/w2dtc-sound-bites/2005-1103-ab2ez-doesnt-like-w2vjz.mp3

[k4kyv]

http://w2dtc.com/w2dtc-sound-bites/2005-1103-ab2ez-doesnt-like-w2vjz.mp3

I do not like thee, Doctor Fell,
The reason why I cannot tell;
But this I know, and know full well,
I do not like thee, Doctor Fell.

[WB3JOK]

From the ARRL Handbook: "CQ means Calling any station"

Also

Study Guide to Exam Questions - Question Pool
T2A08
What is the meaning of the procedural signal “CQ”?

A. Call on the quarter hour
B. A new antenna is being tested (no station should answer)
C. Only the called station should transmit
D. Calling any station

Answer is (D)

It would appear not everyone understands this.

http://w2dtc.com/w2dtc-sound-bites/2005-1103-ab2ez-doesnt-like-w2vjz.mp3

You are being deliberately disingenuous. There was a thread here on this very subject a while back. Stu made it plain that he did not want to talk to that man under any circumstances. So VJZ harassed him when he'd call CQ, also waving that interpretation of the rules.

I don't believe there is a "calling any station except xxx", although I'm sure it would have been useful in dealing with that particular problem!

[WD8BIL]

No LIDS, No Kids and no Space Cadets!

[K1JJ]

There's a certain art to calling CQ, but I don't know what it is.  Everyone seems to have their own style.

Some sound like they are working too hard. Said quickly: CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-  this is  W2XXX -W2XXX-W2XXX-W2XXX -CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-.......

Others sound like they are addressing the congress in fine oratory fashion with perfect diction, inflection and tone, even adding some voice growl at the end of each phrase.  [Congratulations, OM - wonderful speech!]

But in general, most fall way out of character from their normal voice patterns and sound uncomfortable. It's almost like watching some white people dance.   CW is the only way to hide...

T

[KF1Z]

Hello,
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?

[Pete, WA2CWA]

It's almost like watching some white people dance.   CW is the only way to hide...

T

That can be very frightening to watch and wondering if they need an EMT. 

[KC2ZFA]

No lids, no kids, no space cadets, no phonetic  fanatics, no school bus
riders please

 

[Steve - K4HX]

Good observation. I'm making light of the entire ridiculous situation. Most jokes are their own version of the truth.

From the ARRL Handbook: "CQ means Calling any station"

Also

Study Guide to Exam Questions - Question Pool
T2A08
What is the meaning of the procedural signal “CQ”?

A. Call on the quarter hour
B. A new antenna is being tested (no station should answer)
C. Only the called station should transmit
D. Calling any station

Answer is (D)

It would appear not everyone understands this.

http://w2dtc.com/w2dtc-sound-bites/2005-1103-ab2ez-doesnt-like-w2vjz.mp3

You are being deliberately disingenuous. There was a thread here on this very subject a while back. Stu made it plain that he did not want to talk to that man under any circumstances. So VJZ harassed him when he'd call CQ, also waving that interpretation of the rules.

I don't believe there is a "calling any station except xxx", although I'm sure it would have been useful in dealing with that particular problem!

[KF1Z]

Good observation. I'm making light of the entire ridiculous situation. Most jokes are their own version of the truth.

Also useful when the "Roll Eyes"  emoticon just doesn't quite cut it.....

[KM1H]

Where are they other 50-odd weeks a year?  It takes a  lot of work to get a really good signal on top band, and it usually isn't cheap. I find it hard to believe that anyone would really go to all that much trouble and spend all that much money just to get on the air and inanely swap five-nines for one or two weekends a year.

Thats generally untrue.

Just for contests alone that include 160M there are least 10 major contests a year with many entering all or most of them.

The rest of the year they are chasing DX mostly on CW or yaking away on SSB swapping lies about how well they heard the DX station.

No LIDS, No Kids and no Space Cadets!

Stanley lives on in infamy. He was a character.

[Steve - K4HX]

Stanley? You mean Mike Primus.

[k4kyv]

You mean Mike Primus.

Even his name meant "Class A".

[KX5JT]

I have a friend (from ham radio chat rooms) that hasn't been licensed all that long.  He lives in an apartment in NYC and FINALLY got a radio (some kind of older kenwood, 440 something).  He was able to somehow get a 40 meter dipole up by stretching it from a window (4th floor) to a tree.  

He actually had 30 someodd contacts during this 160 ssb thing on 160 and that was from 9 states!  This was 100 watts on a 40 meter dipole among BUILDINGS in NYC (with a tuner of course).

I was pretty darn impressed, I have NEVER made a 160 meter contact on any mode. There's a lot of metal around from the buildings so maybe his signal was loading or reflecting something/somewhere.

BTW, I'm really trying to use CQ but NO other Q-codes for phone.  Heck we should just speak plain English if you ask me.  We should stop saying  "I'm going to QSY" or "I'm going to QRT" or "There's some QRM" "QSB...."

JUST SAY "I'm going to move to xxxx frequency now."  "I am signing off"  "Jeeze there's a lot of interference from that slopbucket"  "You just took a deep fade!"

I dunno, just makes more sense to me.  We are talking about PHONE modes here, not CW.  Don't get all freaked out, it's just my opinion and worth every penny you just paid for it.

John KX5JT