This is a great event, as relaxed or as chaotic as you like, fun and patriotic! The QSL if you choose to get them are highly specialized and original..
You don't "try to reason" with the pileup, you control it. NEVER work the lids who repeat their callsign or delay making their call until after others have finished calling. If you reward those selfish individuals with a contact, you've created your own mess and now the calling cycle is several times longer than it should be, slowing down the QSO rate for everybody. If the majority of stations refuse to behave, go QRT, they don't deserve to work you. A "list" operation isn't the best way to work the most stations in a given amount of time. If the pile-up is really large, work "by the numbers" in their callsign and strictly enforce your own rule, don't work anyone who calls out of turn.
I have done this i think last 3 years it was great fun. Not sure if I will this year have to see what's cooking.
You do it your way, I prefer to work lists. But you do agree that operators in this sort of situation lose all rationality?
Absolutely! A lot of them are their own worst enemy, in their frantic efforts to work the object of the pile-up ahead of everyone else, they are the ones who slow down the QSO rate to a crawl for everyone, including themselves.
I would like to participate in this, but all I have is the FT70D. Is it possible to participate with only a ht like that? How would I participate via the digital mode?
The short answer is: you can't participate with a FT70D. Most of the operation is on the HF bands, 80M thru 10M. All contacts are done by direct radio to radio communication, no repeaters or internet usage is permitted. You can find the complete set of rules by clicking on this link: http://13colonies.us
Well, I am confused because on the "Bands and Modes" page for the event, they say "All modes of operation may be represented - SSB, CW, RTTY, Digital, Etc. - The mode of operation is up to the individual colony state station. Please refer to the State information pages for details." So that lead me to think it is possible?
Strictly speaking, it may be "possible" according to the rules, but you have a much better chance of being struck by lightning while simultaneously winning the Mega-Millions lottery. Do you think that it's possible to contact one of the states along the east coast with a 2M HT from St Louis? Go back and re-read my original reply to you, the part about direct radio to radio contact without a repeater or the internet being involved. Sorry, with a tech license and an HT, you're not going to be able to do it. You'll neet at least a General class license and an HF rig. Even if you had a 10M radio, the 13 Colonies stations probably won't be operating there very much, if at all.
I worked 'em all on CW two years ago and have the certificate. Didn't try last year, may not try this year...but it wasn't very difficult. But I did not do it in one day, or on one band. Took three days and four bands!
I see. Thanks for the help on this. I can however, participate by trying to catch the interactions on my shortwave, correct? How does one exactly participate that way?
they did this event last year or the year before i think i i did some of the days of it but not all of it. defiantly a fun event
