Ed W0YK wrote:
“Operationally, the safest thing to do is simply avoid these small, known
areas. If there is no other place to operate on the band, then we need to take
the time to carefully discern if there is on-going operation in those areas
before assuming the bandwidth is clear and then claiming it temporarily for our
RTTY transmissions.”
With all due respect Ed, here’s my problem with this. While on the surface,
this appears to be the “gentlemanly” thing to do, but in reality, I have an
issue with this notion of working around their “watering hole” during a
contest. During normal operations, I agree with the general principle of making
sure a frequency is clear before we claim it and honestly do make every attempt
to adhere to that. But also, there is an actual rule that no station can “own”
a frequency. Just because it is a well know and well advertised “watering
hole”, this does not guarantee that users of that mode will have interference
free use of it at all times. There is nothing special about those JT modes, or
any other mode, that gives it special privileges or makes then exempt from
those rules. When I choose to respond to some of those “too many contest”
rants, although this may seem rude to some people, I make it clear to them that
if someone promised that you would have interference free access to any mode on
any band any time you want it, they lied to you!
The bottom line is that I do not thing we are being unreasonable. Amateur radio
is a recreational past time (no matter what the EMCOMM people tell you!) and
working the JT modes is a choice some chose to make within the hobby. What I
resent is the suggestion that I MUST work around them all of time.
In his next letter, Ed wrote:
“As an example of how each us can have very diverse reactions, take today's
thread that developed after W4HM's post about avoiding PSK and JT gathering
frequencies.”
OK, I admit to taking credit (blame?) for starting that line reactions. But
let’s be clear, I was not admonishing him for suggesting that we should steer
clear of the JT frequencies, it was because he claimed that by avoiding them,
it did not adversely affect his score. Obviously he thought I was being a bit
harsh, but I think the general consensus here is that his statement was
ludicrous. If he found my “less-than-subtle” approach to be rude, I have to
believe that sooner or later someone else would have said something that would
have ended up with the same end result.
A frequent theme of these post-contest posts are that we need to share the
bands. I am all for that, 100%. When that is said however, it is usually
addressed to the people doing the contesting, not the people complaining about
so-called “unfair” contest behavior. Well now let me turn the coin over.
Claiming a particular frequency for your own personal mode of choice and
expecting to have interference free access to it any time you want is not
sharing!
73,
de Scott N0IU
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