CQ and QSY should select an unused slot (avoid collisions)

Meir 4Z5PE | QO100<->HF VarAC Cluster · 2025-03-17T16:57:59.010Z

PROBLEM 1. VarAC relies too much on manual "sniffing" instead of automatically finding a non-busy slot. 2. I noticed CQ calls pointing to the same channel slot! Assuming the two stations hear each other, this looks like a bug. SOLUTION 1. Automatically scan slots until finding a non-busy slot. 2. If a collision is detected, repeat, and select or negotiate an unused slot. E.g. there should not be two CQ calls QSYing to the same slot, within 5(?) minutes of each other. The slot should be marked as busy as soon as the CQ call or QSY request is heard to that slot. It should NOT be available in the QSY selector nor to CQ slot selector until it becomes available again. 3. Basically, anything that can be done to improve channel busy detection. 4. Anything to improve coordination between stations and to prevent collisions of QSY to the same slot! 5. Possibly, send brief placeholder signals in the selected CQ slot to avoid collisions bc otherwise it appears available to "peeking". 6. There may be other options, e.g. to monitor multiple frequencies simultaneously, etc.

PROBLEM

VarAC relies too much on manual "sniffing" instead of automatically finding a non-busy slot.
I noticed CQ calls pointing to the same channel slot! Assuming the two stations hear each other, this looks like a bug.

SOLUTION

Automatically scan slots until finding a non-busy slot.
If a collision is detected, repeat, and select or negotiate an unused slot. E.g. there should not be two CQ calls QSYing to the same slot, within 5(?) minutes of each other. The slot should be marked as busy as soon as the CQ call or QSY request is heard to that slot. It should NOT be available in the QSY selector nor to CQ slot selector until it becomes available again.
Basically, anything that can be done to improve channel busy detection.
Anything to improve coordination between stations and to prevent collisions of QSY to the same slot!
Possibly, send brief placeholder signals in the selected CQ slot to avoid collisions bc otherwise it appears available to "peeking".
There may be other options, e.g. to monitor multiple frequencies simultaneously, etc.