<div dir="auto"><div>All good advice. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I have used split but only in structured ways like for QRP Fox Hunts where the Fox expects to be looking up a kHz or so.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Of the items on Jim's list the only thing I do regularly is modify my code speed. Mostly I try to match the CQ speed. One of the knobs on my transceiver is programmable, and I have it mapped to code speed, so I can do that without a lot of fiddling.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Chris </div><div dir="auto">W2BPL</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div><br></div><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature">Sent from my phone.</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Sep 27, 2025, 12:51\u202fPM Scott Ginsburg <<a href="mailto:k1oa@k1oa.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">k1oa@k1oa.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Chris,<br>
<br>
Adding to Jim\u2019s excellent CW pileup advice I would also recommend using the second VFO if you have one in your radio and enabling split mode. The typical setup is to listen to the DX station on VFO A and use VFO B for your transmit frequency. Some splits are large enough to be beyond the range of XIT.<br>
<br>
The ideal configuration is to mix the audio from both VFOs in your headphones so you can simultaneously hear when the DX is listening for a call and monitor the pileup while you tune VFO B for your next transmission.<br>
<br>
A popular pileup technique is to continually tune just beyond the last caller\u2019s frequency, especially if you\u2019re not running high power. I\u2019ve also had success going 5 or even 10 kHz above the pileup where nobody is transmitting. Call there for a while and if you don\u2019t have success move down 1 kHz at a time toward the edge of the pileup. If you have a spectrum display this can help you find the clear frequencies high up in the pileup.<br>
<br>
It\u2019s a lot of listening and learning the DX station\u2019s pattern as Jim points out. Low power DXing is a real challenge but VERY rewarding when you get \u2018em in the log!<br>
<br>
gl and 73,<br>
Scott K1OA<br>
<br>
<br>
> On Sep 27, 2025, at 10:14\u202fAM, Christopher Lennon via bars <<a href="mailto:bars@w1hh.org" rel="noreferrer noreferrer" target="_blank">bars@w1hh.org</a>> wrote:<br>
> \ufeff<br>
> My rig is just 20W to a piece of wet string, so I struggle to break through pileups when operating CW. This morning I was struggling as usual when I decided to try the Receiver Incremental Tuning (RIT) feature. I tuned off the CQer by 30 Hz and then used the RIT to make it up on receive. So I was transmitting high to him by 30 Hz. Boom I got right in! <br>
> <br>
> I used the RIT trick with 30 to 50 Hz a few more times this morning. It didn't always work first time, but it was much better than my average rate of breaking in.<br>
> <br>
> I've known about RIT all along, but I didn't think it was worth the fiddling around. Definitely worth a try.<br>
> <br>
> Chris <br>
> W2BPL<br>
> <br>
> Sent from my phone.<br>
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</blockquote></div>