Since I am relatively “green” myself to FM satellite rover operation, I will share an observation from a recent grid expedition in West Texas. I’ve observed a behavior that I refer to as “Armageddon grid.” This means the rover operator is activating a grid for the last time before the world meets a fiery demise and doesn't know it until he gives his call and grid square.
This is an overview of an Armageddon grid activation:
1. Rover station calls one of his friends or scheduled contact.
2. Up to five stations immediately call the rover station in rapid procession, not allowing a millisecond between calls for anyone to answer. Never mind the opportunity of the rover’s original station called establishing contact.
3. At this point, the rover station tries to complete his original call (if/when the dust settles.)
4. Typically what occurs is step 2-3 wind up in a loop for a period of 2-3 minutes thus effectively reducing the usable time for other stations to make contact on the pass by one-third or more.
If operators would not treat working a rare grid as if the world is coming to an end immediately after the pass, I believe rover stations would have a much more pleasant time handing out new grids.
If you miss that desired grid today, doesn’t that leave opportunity for you to work it on another day?
73 Clayton W5PFG
On Sat, Oct 1, 2011 at 5:25 PM, Omar Alvarez [email protected] wrote:
What a shame this pass, just a few QSOs can be finished because all calling others without give a chance the complete the current QSO. What we need to fix that?....
I will wait for a better pass.
Have a nice weekend.
Omar XE1AO DK89df
M.C. Omar Alvarez Cárdenas Facultad de Telematica, U de C 316 1075 [email protected] [email protected]
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