There are obviously SOME stations that come on during a Contest to actually enter (or at least to see how many points they can get if they sent their entry in) . . .
However, I would wager that the majority of stations you hear in a Contest come on just for a couple of hours, to try and work a few stations, just because there is activity. That is especially true on 160m, where often people just don't bother coming on, as there aren't many stations there to work ! It really is Catch 22 . . . That's why I am forever trying to encourage people to come on the band on CW . . . if more people come on at the same time, there WILL be Activity, i.e. lots of DX QSOs to be had. Given the effort required to put out a decent signal on Top Band, I was amazed this weekend how many stations I worked that I've never heard on the band before . . . what a waste of all those big antennas ! I know some of you on here aren't interested in working a station multiple times . . . but I would say that the majority of us get a buzz out of EVERY DX QSO on 160m, regardless of how many times we may have worked a station before. Roger G3YRO _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector