Guest Operating

For most of my ham radio experience, I've had a very limited ability to contest with great equipment. Most of the time I've had a good radio, decent amplifier -- and a five or six-band vertical antenna. Throw in contesting from the West Coast and it's pretty tough sledding.Now, one can still contest with this setup. You can meet all of the contesting criteria that you set for yourself. You can meet or beat your goals for the contest.But it's tough to get the thrill -- some would say addiction -- to running stations one after another that a larger contest setup would enjoy.To get the challenge of contesting from a larger station, one alternative is to "guest-op" at a station with a better set of antennas and perhaps hardware than you have. Think of it as going portable to another station and operating from there.Where can you find such stations?The first place to look for guest operating opportunities is right in your own ham radio club. If you're working with a dipole in an attic as your best antenna, those people with triband beams up 50-feet in the air with an amplifier connected to a radio look pretty good in comparison.Another place to look is during your local ham radio convention. While typically a DX convention, there are often hams who you know outside of your club that could have a station that you could use for a contest.Finally, there are usually (not always) multi-operator stations who often look for operators to help out during contests.Single Operator or Multi-Operator?The dynamics of being a guest operator are different if you are operating as a single op as compared to a multi-op. Single operators simply have to work with the station owner and go from there. Multi-ops are part of a team; a completely different set of dynamics.If you are familiar with contesting and have a good relationship with your fellow hams, I'd suggest trying to guest operate as a single operator. It's a simpler dynamic, will help you learn more about contesting from a larger station, and will maximize your operating time during the contest.Regardless of your decision, guest operating is a great way to enhance your contesting experience.Scot, K9JY