> I have filed comments with the FCC in opposition to any formal
> segmentation on 160 at this time. A better approach is to get IARU
> to get 1800 to 1900 Khz as a world wide band so we can implement the
> ARRL and IARU volunteer plans.
As a regular user of 160 meters since 1962 or 63, I disagree. I also
wish people would consider the problems created for regular uses
of the band by not having a rule, instead of only thinking of the five
weekends or so when contesting people might want to violate the
plan rather than turn a VFO dial higher in the band.
It is NOT correct hat we need to overlap to work DX, as a matter of
fact MUCH more DX would be worked in SSB contests AND CW
contests if split operation was used.
SSB contests are a particularly bad situation, because people on
both ends of the pond just park between 1800 and 1850 and, deaf
as a rock for DX, call CQ's. At any given time I can usually hear
several Europeans buried under loud splattering W's who have no
hope of hearing them, and I'm sure the same is true in Europe.
Of course Dave will counter this with the observation that SOME
people manage to work DX, and I agree with that. The point I am
making is MANY more people would enjoy many more DX contacts
if operation was split, which is what the band rule would force.
The second problem is the intentional and accidental people who
operate below 1840 on SSB, and that happens at least one a night.
No one in their right mind would think we could have a "volunteer"
band plan on 75/80 meters that would keep SSB out of the CW,
and no one with any common sense would think it would work on
40 meters and higher.
That being the case, why burden the people who enjoy 160 with
year long QRM?
Bandplans have NOT worked reliably in 30 years, and they won't
work in the future. While SSB contesters only violate the bandplan
maybe five weekends or so a year, we can not forget the people
who just don't know any better and those who intentionally cause
QRM.
The problem is that much of the world
> does not have all the frequencies we in the US and Canada have access
> to...with many limited to 1830 to 1850 or some other allocation for
> all modes CW, SSB, Digital etc. If we force much of the DX to work
> spit then we run into the problems that we have on 75 and 40 with
> complaints to the FCC about interference to existing QSOs.
The FCC is burdened with complaints now about QRM, and has
been since the early 70's. I think the problem is those who do not
regularly work the band are not aware what a big problem it really
is.
That's why you see an overwhelming number of regular 160 users
who support the plane, and casual users who do not.
The bottom line is if you FOLLOW the bandplan the rule change
would absolutely not affect you. If you do NOT follow the bandplan
then it will affect you.
It's ironic that those who want to violate the bandplan cite the
bandplan and how well it works as a reason for not having a rule.
Talk about self-contradiction!
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com
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