> On Mon, 15 Dec 2003, Kenneth E. Harker wrote:
>
> > So, two contests out of five (and half of the total contest weekends)
are
> > tailor-made for microwave operators. Nevertheless, some people want ALL
> > the contests to be microwave-centric. Why should EVERY contest be
designed
> > so that those who are without microwave gear in a densely-popoulated
part
> > of the country are guaranteed to lose? Why do you want to destroy VHF
> > contesting experience for the rest of us?
>
> Why don't you get some microwave gear?
>
> Zack W9SZ
>
I agree...there was very little microwave activity here in Iowa, so I got
some gear.
Guess what, I almost won the June VHF contest in SOHP a few times. Who says
the east coast cant be beat?!! I sure dont.....
In fact, from Texas, you got a better shot than me cause the 6M propagation
will be usually better to all parts of the country than from here. Combind
that with microwaves and YOU CAN WIN!
PS - I do not agree with any ERP based catagory but I do think the division
of HP and LP should be changed.
HP - 400 watts and up on 50, 144, 222, and 432
LP - Less than 400 watts on 50, 144, 222 and 432
Note that the above is about where the current state of the art is for solid
state amps and are somewhat reasonable in cost, I think the HP verses LP
catatgories should follow the state of the art and for what is readily
available. To put someone in the HP catagory for running a 150 watt brick
on 222 Mhz is insane. We are just lucky to get em on the band! If your
running tubes..then your output is most likely going to be more than 400
watts on any of the low bands.
All other higher bands....should not be a concern. Why bong a guy for
getting a 15 watt amp for 5.7 Ghz on Ebay real cheap, and have that stick
him totally into the HP catagory? If that is a concern, he may not get on
for that reason. Hams are scroungers...let them get what they can get their
hands on for the upper bands, not limit them because they do it. When 50
watt solid state amps for 10 ghz get down to $100, then maybe it would be
time to rethink the HP catagory for upper freqs. I dont think thats going
to happen for quite some time though.
Power at that higher freqs is a good thing, but its more about good
antennas, feedline and pointing correctly. The higher power just makes it
easier up there, but its not necessary for more than 90% of the QSOs you
will do on the higher freqs.
My 2 cents worth....
73
Mike - KM0T EN13vc
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