The Talk

I had a long talk with my DX-Aku and he wasn't pleased.  The conversation went sort of like this:

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"You aren't pulling in the numbers of QSO that you planned to?  Why is that?"

'Not a lot of stations out there.  The QSO rates are at best 1/min.'

"Bullocks!  You're not trying hard enough!  Are you actually using the propagation charts?"

'Bullocks? Is that some kind of Lord Howe Island saying?'

"Don't get smart with me.  Are you actually using the propagation charts?"

'Sort of?  I view the VOACAP site and got a fuzzy picture of what bands are good for certain areas, but it still doesn't seem to match up with reality.'

"Part of your problem is that you aren't actually on the air long enough.  By the time you get spotted, you've already QSY'd."

'True, but I don't see the point of calling CQ for 15 minutes without a QSO.'

"Yes, back to the question -- are you actually using the propagation charts?"

'I guess I am not using them correctly.'

"Right, you aren't.   The chart shows when the propagation should be good and you'll notice that it doesn't account for the local time schedule.  Your sleep habits have to be adjusted for when the propagation is good.  You won't get anywhere if you only operate when local-time waking hours."

'So, I need to adjust my own schedule to match the propagation?'

"Yes, that's part of it.  The other part is you need to just push through and work the band for a time and know that there's another band to QSY to eventually to keep working."

'Thanks, and I hope you realize that this wasn't in the study material?'

"You weren't instructed in propagation?   You cannot have been an amateur radio operator very long!"

'Well, I have been working HF radio for a while but this seems to be my blind spot.'

"Yes, indeed.  It is your blind spot.  You may think you understand how amateur radio works, build antennas, and even work pile-ups.  But, you have homework to do -- to figure out propagation and stick with the plan of following the propagation."

'I see.'

"Do you?"

'I think so.  Thanks'

"Alright. Now, go read your propagation data and make it work.  And  start to work more South America -- your numbers there are pitiful!

'Yeah, I know.'

"Alright, I'll leave you to it."

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