[WriteLog] Antenna direction failure - Use Azmiuth Sort Instead

Tue Nov 2 10:46:03 EST 2004

 
The new WriteLog option to sort spots by Azmiuth was 
especially effective: I'd set the beams to 135,
work all spots, then to 090, work all spots, then to 045,
then to 330, etc., (and 240 if VK/ZLs were spotted),
which saved lots of lots of wear and tear instead of
constantly moving 300 pounds of antennas and mast. 
I would start with "All Bands" and "Multipliers Only"
and was jumping from band-to-band at a beam heading;
 (yes, I had to cough to cause the Alpha to retune
 before calling - if I called after a band change
 without a cough, they always missed the "W").
I'd work that direction for all spots, then move the beams,
work spots, move the beams, etc., until the spot window was
empty of multipliers, and then would remove the Mult-Only check and 
would work new stations for 20-30 minutes, and then go back to Mults-only.
By working all stations at an azimuth, I had the added advantage that 
I was usually not trying to grab the newest spot; I learned to look at
the time of the spot and if it was very current, and/or if I first heard 
K3WW, W3LPL, K4JA, etc., calling, I knew it was a new spot, so I'd pass 
that spot by for the rest of the stations at that azimuth, and then come 
back at the end of that heading, when the big pileup for the new spot
had dimished.
100% spots; never called CQ, never even had to S&P,
and was able to work almost every spot; I doubt I missed
more than ten multipliers that could be heard on 40-10. 
73
Barry, W5GN
Class: SOAB(A) HP
QTH: Texas
Operating Time (hrs): 32
Summary:
 Band QSOs Zones Countries
------------------------------
 160: 
 80: 9 6 6
 40: 134 22 67
 20: 340 38 126
 15: 450 39 135
 10: 515 33 132
------------------------------
Total: 1448 138 466 Total Score = 2,748,816
Club: North Texas Contest Club