Hi,
I'm sending you this about the 160m bandplan. Please pass this
along. I think the committee is making a serious mistake. We need
to write them now before they ruin things.
Hi Rick,
I was speaking to K1ZM, and he said the bandplan committee was
going to suggest "suspending" the bandplan so contest rules
"allow" SSB operation down to 1810. Sorta like raising the
suggested speed limit when the bars let out, isn't it?
I hope Jeff misunderstood this. This would be a slap in the face for
anyone who follows the bandplan throughout the year. It makes the
ARRL committee look biased towards contests, and one of the
major gripes among people about the bandplan is it is shows
favoritism for special interests.
There are dozens of contests a year that affect the "CW" area,
ruining the band for anyone who wants to have a normal CW
contact. State QSO parties (dozens of them), special events for
clubs or groups, DX or Zone SSB contests, field day, as well as
the specific 160 SSB contests.
All in all, there are over a dozen contests a year. In those contests,
contest operators feel the bandplan just doesn't apply to them.
We work hard all year to get people to follow the "suggestion" of a
CW area that really should have been a rule....and then the most
reluctant to follow the plan get to see the same people claim the
bandplan THEY are expected to follow doesn't apply to contestors.
I hope you and the committee really look hard at this issue again.
While we all know contestors are a poorly behaved lot when good
manners crosses paths with an extra point, the message that
"suspending" the plan for the people who operate SSB contests
sends a message that will make compliance more difficult
throughout the other 40 weekends a year when there are no
contests.
We both know there will be people who simply won't follow the
bandplan, but the message suspending the bandplan during
contests sends is clearly the wrong message.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com
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