Reflections on working DX Pile ups
Bruce J. Tisdale (KC9ICP)
One of my favorite parts of ham radio is working DX stations. I think it’s the excitement of hearing someone from far away and then maybe making contact. For me at first it was exotic places like Canada, Mexico, or some Caribbean Island. Could I actually be talking to someone so far away? Then suddenly one day out nowhere I worked a station in Europe. I think it might have been Italy. Man, this DXing is easier than I thought.
All I had to do is listen for the station (country) I wanted, call them and magically they would call me back. In fact, I thought going after that coveted DXCC award was going to be easier than I thought. Well, it was easy for a while as I made more contacts in Europe, South America, and even Africa.
When I upgraded my equipment or antenna things just got better. Then reality started to hit. Sure I could get through to make a DX contact when it was just me and a few others calling, but what about those tough ones being called by hundreds of other hams. I was operating with 100 watts or less with a wire antenna. Many of these guys were operating power and beams. How was I going to get noticed in a pile up and make the contact?
First of all, what constitutes a “pile up”. Very simply it’s a number of ham operators all trying to contact a particular station of interest to them at the same time. Well, a few is one thing, but hundreds or even thousands calling at one time is crazy. How do you get noticed or for that matter get heard? One obvious answer is to turn up the power with the addition of a linear amp and/or get a more directional antenna like a yagi beam.
More power and better antennas do work. Don’t forget the need for better filtering in that receiver to eliminate excess noise on the listening side. However, I want to focus here on something much less technical.
What is your technique in calling that sought after DX station?
First of all, there is no single method that is guaranteed to get results. In fact, propagation and pure luck can be important factors. However, I have found that there are several things you can do to improve your chances of being noticed in a pile up and making the contact. I have listed these suggestions below in no particular order of importance.
- Listen before you dive into the pile up to make sure you can hear the DX station reasonably well and get their call signal. This is important to determine if propagation is favorable and if others in your area are being heard.
- Listen and follow any instructions the DX station is giving regarding whom they are accepting calls from. For example, they may be asking for stations from the West Coast of the US or a prefix numbers. The purpose of this is to help everyone, including the DX station to be heard and have a turn. Cooperation helps everyone.
- Be patient and don’t get frustrated easily after a few minutes. At times, depending on the circumstances, it may take up to as much as an hour or more to get through. During this time propagation may change which can help you be heard.
- Don’t jump right into the pile up to call the DX station when a QSO ends. Pause for a few moments to allow others to clear. By doing so, there is less interference from others. You may also be the last to be heard and will be noticed by the listener.
- Be polite and don’t make call when others are still talking. It goes without saying that you won’t get acknowledged if you are being annoying.
- Sometimes it helps to note where you’re calling from. For example: KC9ICP, Indiana. This may differentiate you from others calling.
- Take advantage of letting the DX station know if you are operating QRP or mobile. Many times the DX station will give special attention to these stations because of the unique difficulty. Note: It is an honor system, so be truthful!
This is obviously a quick list of ideas and is not intended to be all inclusive. However, I hope it will provide assistance to anyone trying to work a pile up of any type.
Remember, the important thing is to have fun.
Good luck!
