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Why I hate working Split Operations

Discussion in 'Contests, DXpeditions, QSO Parties, Special Events' started by WS7X, Nov 1, 2020.

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  1. WS7X

    WS7X Ham Member QRZ Page

    Am I the only one who doesn't like working stations operating split?

    For those not familiar with how split operations works here it is. I'm going to transmit on say 14.245 mhz but I'm only going to listen between 14.250 to 14.260. If you want to work me, you have to guess where my receiver will be tuned. Because I'm rare DX, I get to take up not only the one frequency I'm transmitting on, but also the entire 10 or even 15 mhz of the band, with people calling me all over that segment. All but one of these people are calling to no one, because my receiver can only hear one frequency at a time.

    This is a hilarious cluster cluck in my opinion.

    Now, if you tell me exactly what your receive frequency, is I don't have a problem working split. But when you're telling me it is somewhere between this and that frequency, thats another thing and just causes a lot of people to do nothing but broadcast to no one. I'm not OK with that and I refuse to do it.

    Anyway, this is just one man's opinion and food for thought.


    Best 73
    WS7X
     
    WN1MB likes this.
  2. ND6M

    ND6M Ham Member QRZ Page

    just a QRMFEST
     
  3. AH7I

    AH7I Ham Member QRZ Page

    10 or 15 milli-hertz is not a whole lot of band :)

    On CW, "up 1" or "up 2" is not going to eat up a lot of band. Especially considering dozens to hundreds of people using that 2-3 kHz at that time.

    I don't work phone so don't know if it's the same. But, asking people to call "up 3" you've taken 6 kHz... about the same as an AM signal. All the DX has to do to keep them there is not work people calling higher.

    73, -bob ah7i
     
    N2EY and KA0REN like this.
  4. K8PG

    K8PG QRZ Lifetime Member #333 Platinum Subscriber Life Member QRZ Page

    Split DX work is Not Like Shooting
    FISH in the Barrel -
    lots of listening/ timing Are the key.

    Paul K8PG
     
    N8SAN and N2EY like this.
  5. KL7AJ

    KL7AJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    For most of my ham "career" I ran separates, so everything was split whether you liked it or not. I never had a problem with that.....and I still always use split mode when running CW
     
  6. WG7X

    WG7X Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    @WS7X

    Noel, working DX isn't a plug & play event. But you already knew that, right? So what exactly, was the point of your post?

    Now, stand by for all the real old timers who will explain, in great detail, how it was: "back-in-the-day" when separate transmitters and receivers were all that they had and almost every QSO was, by necessity, "split operations"!

    Oh, and by-the-way I don't think that anyone is forcing you to work DX, whether it is split, simplex, or cross band. am I wrong on this?
     
  7. TJNII

    TJNII QRZ Member

    I feel some responding stopped reading before this sentence. Split operation doesn't seem that out there, but specifying a receive frequency as "I'm receiving somewhere within this 10kHz range"? Is that a common thing operators do? I think that's what WS7X is grumping about, that the split receive frequency is vague.
     
    WD4IGX likes this.
  8. M0TTQ

    M0TTQ Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    I've worked DX on split that I probably wouldn't have got on 50W in a simplex pileup (and some of it was when I was licensed for 10W). The bands aren't so crowded that it inconveniences anyone, and in most cases the DX is only tuning over 3-5kHz. If many operators chasing DX had better manners and didn't constantly shout over QSOs in progress or over the DX station himself, it might not be necessary. Working split is an infinitely less worse vice than a disorderly simplex pileup or, heaven help us, a list operation.
     
    KR3DX, N2EY and WD4IGX like this.
  9. NM7G

    NM7G Ham Member QRZ Page

    Split frequency will nearly always be vague, by intent. If I'm DX and I say "up 2", and I only listen exactly up 2, what have I accomplished? Nothing but move the calling pile away from one freq only to overwhelm another freq. Adding the element of vagueness gives me, the rare commodity, a better chance of controlling the pileup, while hitting a suitable QSO rate. I have no sympathy to offer callers!

    DX ops sometimes operate where the electric utility is ON three hours a night, where they sleep under harsh physical conditions, are in a politically hazardous entity, had their backup rig, shaving gear/toothbrush, extra coax, duct tape, and snacks lost by the airline, have my unconditional support. Often they fund the trip, struggle with license authorities, work for hours pulling calls out of hundreds of callers, expose themselves to health risks, and are the ones losing the most sleep. If they run split, its to help them, and that's fine with me, because whatever helps their QSO rate helps you and me. It seems to me that thinking "split" (in any form) is bad is like believing the NBA shot-clock is unfair, or that NASCAR drivers can drive 80 mph through the pit area. Its recreation and a sport, and its how the game is played. We dxers must hone our skills, add another receiver, get a better filter, or upgrade our antenna.....whatever it takes. The changes must come at our end of the signal path.
     
    KR3DX, N2EY, W3UC and 6 others like this.
  10. WD4IGX

    WD4IGX Ham Member QRZ Page

    [deleted]
     
  11. K0UO

    K0UO Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    I've been known to punch the wrong button the wrong button when working split!!!!
     
  12. W7EDC

    W7EDC XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    If the Pile-up is way louder than the DX station it can be impossible to hear them picking you out and returning your call if not working split...especially when you've got people throwing out their call 5 seconds after the CQ call not to mention repeating their call five times in a row. Its pretty much their game their rules- it's okay with me whether or not they use split.
     
    N8SAN, AD7DB and KR3DX like this.
  13. NM7G

    NM7G Ham Member QRZ Page

    An afterthought. Undoubtedly I was using a dxpedition in my prior post. However, basic issues apply even for chasing resident hams in modern yet rare places. In dxing we will never control two things: propagation, and the other operator. So, I seek to optimize what you can control. It makes life simpler. 73
     
    KR3DX, AH7I and M0TTQ like this.
  14. W7UUU

    W7UUU Director, QRZ Forums Lifetime Member 133 QRZ HQ Staff Life Member QRZ Page

    Personally, I really like working split. It's very often the ONLY chance I have to get the station in the log. I agree that HUGE splits are pretty rude to lots of other operators. 15 KHz on SSB is just nuts I must agree - on CW 2 UP is just fine.

    I just hate those calling on the DX frequency over and over. Sure - the "Up police" are annoying - but I have say I do like the new trend where the "Up police" simply "work the guy" on simplex, pretending they are the DX. Sure - it's lid behavior. But it does the job of getting the clueless guy to stand down - at least until the next clueless guy comes along.

    Dave
    W7UUU
     
    KP4SX likes this.
  15. WG7X

    WG7X Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Unfortunately, there is usually an unending supply of those guys...
     
    KR3DX and W7UUU like this.

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