I agree with the remarks made by others regarding the DX window in the ARRL
contest.
I have been more concerned for many years about the various phone contests
which take place on 160m. During those contests phone operation takes place
right down to the bottom of the band, effectively making any CW operation
impossible during those weekends. Last year one ssb contest coincided with a
Dxpedtion to 9U - an exceptionally rare country on 160m. Whilst it is true that
there are only a few phone contests on the calendar, it is also true that there
are only a few weekends where exceptional conditions happen, particularly
during sunspot maxima.
Frequency allocations on top band vary from country to country, but it is
generally true to say that the 'prime real estate' for phone operation is from
1830 - 1850 kHz, with the 1810 - 1830 kHz segment being next most desirable.
Very few countries allow phone (or any) operation below 1810 kHz. A significant
number of countries (particularly North America) also allow operation all the
way up to 2 MHz..
Even in the busiest contests it is rare to hear any operation above 1900 kHz.
It would be nice if the regulations were changed (particularly in NA) to limit
the permissible frequencies for ssb, but I think we all know that will never
happen.
However, contest organisers can very easily define the allowable frequency
bands for each individual contest, and as has been mentioned by others this is
already done for some (particularly European) contests.
I would like to propose that phone contests disallow the use on ssb of any
frequency below a dial frequency of 1820 kHz. That leaves 8 kHz of
international frequencies for CW operation whilst still giving the ssb
contesters 32 kHz of the 'prime real estate' - and 150 kHz of the apparently
less desirable frequencies above 150 kHz.
I did suggest this on the contest reflector last year and was immediately
flamed, but I honestly think this would be an attainable and reasonable
compromise.
73 Roger
VE3ZI
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