Short answer: A multi-two station operates two transmitters at the same time, and its log shows it: in most hours you will see QSOs on two bands, a clear split between a run radio and a multiplier radio, and band changes that follow the rules of the contest. Reading these patterns tells you whether the plan worked, which radio did which job and where time or points were lost. Details of the category differ between contests, so check the current rules.
What multi-two means in general terms
Multi-operator categories are normally described by the number of transmitters that may be active at the same time. In a multi-two category, two transmitters may operate. A common arrangement is that one of them is used for running on a band, calling CQ, and the other for finding multipliers on other bands. The rules usually also define limits on how often each transmitter can change bands. These limits exist to stop a station from behaving like a multi-multi station without taking the category.
The exact limits, definitions and names vary, and rules change, so treat this article as a general guide and read the official text of the contest. The earlier articles on multi-operator categories and band-change rules and the related guides on band-change limits explain the principles of such limits. Here we look at how the operation appears in a statistical report.
Two stories in one log
The Cabrillo format includes an optional field at the end of each QSO line that identifies the transmitter. In a multi-two log, the values separate the QSOs of the two radios. When a report uses this field, you can see each radio’s own rate, bands and countries. Where it does not, you can still see the effect in the hourly table: two bands with substantial QSO counts in the same hour, where in a single-transmitter log you would see one main band and a few visits to others.
The service accepts logs with different spacing and an extra TX column, according to its FAQ, so a multi-two Cabrillo file with the transmitter column is fine. If you export from your logger, check that the transmitter ID field is filled in correctly. The article on Cabrillo QSO lines shows where the field sits.
The run radio
Look first at the run radio. It should show a long period on a single band with a high and stable rate, falling when the band fades and rising when a new band opens. If it changed bands often, the reason may be the rules or a poor run frequency. Check the number of band changes per radio and compare it with the limit in the rules of your contest. A count that reaches the limit early leaves nothing for the time when a new band opens.
Compare the rate of the run radio with the best hour of a single-operator station of the same size. If the numbers are similar, the second radio is not slowing the first. If they are lower, perhaps the operators were distracted by the second radio or the antennas interfered with each other. The article on SO2R basics deals with similar questions of separation and interference.
The multiplier radio
The second radio is judged differently. Its main task is to find new multipliers, so its QSO count is smaller, and the important figures are the number of multipliers added and the number of bands visited. In the statistics, look for the new multipliers per hour for the second radio, and the hours in which it was used and idle. A multiplier radio that sits idle in several hours may have run out of targets or lost the operator to the run radio.
Check also whether the multipliers found were really new. A multiplier that the run radio could have found anyway is not a gain. The article on new multipliers per hour and the one on multiplier strategy in CQ WW explain how to read this. Be careful about the claim that the second radio caused an increase. A fair test compares with a log in which the second radio was not used.
Counting band changes
To count band changes, sort the QSOs by time and note every time the band of a given radio differs from that of the previous QSO. The number of changes per radio is then easy to compute. If you cannot separate the radios by the transmitter field, look at the time pattern: two interleaved sequences, each with its own band, usually point to two radios. Compare the count with the limit in the rules. If the contest counts changes per hour, count per hour as well.
A log that exceeds the limits risks reclassification, so this check is worth doing before you submit. Rules differ, so the safest approach is to read the current text, write down the limits in your notebook before the contest, and count during the contest as well. Some logging programs have a counter for this purpose. Test it in advance.
Hourly spread of bands
The hourly table gives the clearest picture of a multi-two operation. In a good plan, the run radio sits on the best band for the hour, and the second radio is on a band that offers multipliers at that time of day. In the table, this means two main columns in each row, which change with the time of day in a logical way. If both radios sit on the same band for long periods, check the reason: the rules may allow it, but it often points to poor planning or to interference.
The article on a band-by-hour picture shows how to visualise this and band strategy by hour shows how to plan it. In a team, share the table with all operators and ask each one to note what he remembers for the unusual rows.
Rest, shifts and fatigue
In a multi-operator station, the rest of operators is a matter of shifts. The statistics show whether the shifts worked: a drop in rate at a changeover, a rise in errors after a long shift or a gap while operators waited for each other. The article on rate per operator in a multi-op shows a way to separate operators. If the log has no operator information, use your shift plan and compare the hours.
Contest Analyzer provides full statistics, including QSOs by hour and band, breaks and off time, and checks every callsign and every zone against official license databases and several independent reference sources. You can edit the log in the report and download a corrected Cabrillo. Serial numbers are not checked. The contests page lists the supported events.
Questions to ask after the contest
A short list of questions keeps the review practical. Which radio had the higher rate in the best hour, and on which band? How many band changes did each radio use, and how many were allowed? In which hours was the second radio idle, and why? How many multipliers did it add that the first would not have found? When did the operators change, and what happened to the rate and the errors at those moments? Which problems were technical, such as interference between the radios, and which were organisational, such as waiting for the next operator?
Write the answers in the notebook with the numbers beside them. Then choose two changes for next time. They might be a better split of the shifts, a different band plan for the second radio, an antenna filter or a rule for who decides when the first radio changes band. Because multi-two stations involve several people, the discussion after the contest is as valuable as the numbers. Hold it soon, while everyone remembers the details, and send the written summary to every member of the team.
A fair comparison between years
Comparing a multi-two log with the logs of earlier years needs care. The number of operators, the station and the rules may have changed. If you compare with a year in which you operated as multi-single, the second radio is the main difference, and you may expect more multipliers but not necessarily a higher rate. If you compare with a year in which the same category was used, differences in conditions and in the team may explain most of the change. Record all of these in your station notes, as described in a station notebook.
Look for trends over several years. Rising multiplier counts for the second radio over three or four contests show that the team is learning. A falling run rate may show fatigue, an aging antenna or growing interference. As always, avoid conclusions from a single year, and use the numbers to ask better questions, not to settle arguments.
Related reading
- Merging Multi-Op Logs: Networked Loggers, Dupes, Time Sync
- Two Operators, One Station: A Fair Statistics Comparison
- Band Changes and Rate: How Often Should You Move?
The bottom line
A multi-two log tells a story of two radios. Read the run radio for rate and the second for multipliers, count the band changes against the rules, look at the hourly spread and judge the shifts. Then write a plan for the next contest with specific changes.
FAQ
How many transmitters does multi-two allow?
Two may operate at the same time. Details and limits depend on the contest, so check the rules.
Are band-change limits the same everywhere?
No. They differ by contest and by year. Always read the current rules.
How do I tell the radios apart in the log?
Use the transmitter ID at the end of the Cabrillo QSO line, if your logger writes it, or the time pattern of bands.
Does the second radio always raise the score?
Not necessarily. Compare with a similar log without it and look at the multipliers it added.
