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Linnea
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Post by Linnea » 07-16-2003 10:28 PM

Question about operating procedure. {ya, I know. Stoopid question #11 :D }

If you are monitoring a frequency, and it appears to be in use, but you can only hear very faint signals - is it okay to transmit and use a more 'local reach' on that frequency - even though some stations are using it at a far distance?

I guess, in a case as this - if you were getting into the range of the fainter - very faint - stations, and if somehow your signal was getter out further - it might cause a situation of interference? and you would not even know it? Or...?

If there a sort of rule of thumb - if you can't hear them, they can't hear you?

Thank you for your input. ;) duh

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Lastmartian
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Post by Lastmartian » 07-17-2003 02:05 AM

It's not stupid Linnea, it's a good question. When I was trying to call you. I checked the freq first and asked if it was clear. I heard no one. After awhile I heard a couple very faint stations having a QSO. I doubt if they could hear me but sometimes the band conditions can make it possible for an imbalance, where they can hear you but you can't hear them very well, or the reverse. I guess to follow standard procedures precisely you would change frequencies or try to make contact with them to see if you may cause them interference.

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Elk
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Post by Elk » 07-18-2003 01:56 AM

You never know who the QRP fans are so, the best rule of thumb to follow is, if possible, make a fast contact with the station you want to yak with and move off to another freq.
There are many stations out there that run very low power. If you can barely hear them, it doesnt mean you wont squash them when you key up. Best to slide away to another number and carry on there. If you can hear them, odds are that you'll eventually interfere with them. Better safe than sorry.
(One of the all time great contacts was between two stations operating QRP. From Antartica to the United Kingdom, 100 milliwatts, via CW)

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