(09-10-2013, 09:25 PM)pwdrive Wrote: [ -> ]David, no skill in DX? Try telling that to someone who is doing their best to obtain an elusive DX contact. I don't buy the "using the same antenna argument" I'm afraid antennas and propagation is a bit more involved than that. Plenty going on on the amature bands that doesn't include cosy netting, both on phone, CW and other modes of transmission and that's the art...finding it that is.
Lawrence.
No - no skill at all. We should not confuse knowledge and experience with skill. You need knowledge and experience to know about propagation conditions and to set up a station to best advantage within your financial and geographical limitations, but that isn't at all the same thing as skill. If you're a train-spotter or plane-spotter or 'twitcher' you have to know where to be to see what you want to see, but again it isn't 'skill' - it's knowledge and experience.
Particularly since the advent of internet, up to the minute information about DX conditions, where particular DX stations pop up at any particular time, DX-Peditions and so on has never been more accessible.
People who are interested in DX will do what they can to make the best of the limitations of their location and will aim to erect the best possible antenna. Few UK amateurs even bother to use the maximum power available within the terms of their licence by adding a linear amplifier - most use modern transceivers with solid state PA stages which put out (nominally) 100 Watts PEP and progressively limit that output in the event of a mismatch to the 50 Ohm output. I'd wager that few amateurs use the legal limit of 400 Watts (or as the licence puts it, 26dB Watts) - that went out when valved PAs went out. But then 400 Watts is not 4 x the RF output of 100W. 100 Watts is double that of ten Watts, and 1kW is double that of 100Watts. It's why QRPers get by quite happily working the world at under 5 Watts, mostly using homebrew equipment on CW. Now that is skilled. Sending CW at 18 - 25 WPM on homebuilt equipment is a different order of magnitude from pressing the PTT and talking into a mike on shop bought equipment which often has an automatic ATU built in.
The fact that there are pile-ups on DX stations is sufficient indication that DX stations aren't secret. The stations that have most success are those who have the best location, equipment and above all, antennas to have the edge on others. Shout loud enough through a 'loudenboomer' into a huge antenna array, and you'll be heard above others.
As I say, not so much 'skill' as resources, knowledge, experience, and time spent on air. I suppose some might argue that in broad terms, these factors together do indeed amount to a 'skill'.
It's not like they've found a cure for cancer is it?
Interesting to read adverts for amateur radio gear which play to the vanities of those with deep pockets - 'Command the band', 'winkle out the DX' and so forth.
Just my point of view - I don't expect everyone to share that view.
As I said earlier anyone else sat where I'm sat, using the same equipment and antenna, at the same time, on the same frequency would achieve the same result, as indeed they would. But the fact that some amateurs find DX enthralling and a useful use of their time doesn't impinge on my life - they only cause problems to each other - DX Pile-ups are nothing more than 'in-band' QRM which some amateurs choose to inflict upon themselves and each other out of choice. Arguably, they deserve each other!
As to contests - don't get me going on that! The bands become unusable to normal amateur radio activity, often at the weekends - the only time some amateurs have to get on air.
Seemed like half of the Amateurs in western Europe were trying to work him. I head the usual German DK, DL, DJ calls; plus EA, CT, I1, I9, ON, HB9, F, etc. But, strangely, not one G: probably skip. So I switched over to the 'T' 'long-wire' aerial: nope, but the bedlam was weaker! 