I'd love to see a combo 10-6 contest. I agree with Dave that is should NOT
be combined with the ARRL 10 Meter contest, but I also think it should be
run VHF style. Grids for the exchange, and, one is allowed to work stations
ONCE per band, any way possible. Mixed mode allowed, and no "2 points for
CW, 1 point for phone" as is done for many HF contests that run CW and
voice at the same time. --Mike, WV2ZOW
On Thu, Sep 4, 2014 at 1:17 PM, Dave Olean <k1whs@metrocast.net> wrote:
>
> Hello Les,
>
> I think that combining 6&10 meters is a great idea. I have been a VHFer
> since 1962, and for most of those years, I was strictly on 144 and above CW
> and SSB. I even got nose bleeds and started twitching if I tried VHF FM. So
> a few years ago, when VHF activity died, I decided to get on ten meters as
> a way to make some (any) contacts via ham radio during the colder months. I
> wanted to keep my code speed up and also learn about the propagation modes
> that are there occasionally on six meters, What better way than to play on
> 28 MHz.
> The first thing I found out was that HF hams think ten meters is dead
> unless they are hearing Europe or Asia coming in at 59+20. My take is that
> it is always open to some extent and that usually the activity is so sparse
> that it only appears dead. The HF definition of "open" is when signals are
> wall to wall and treetop tall! Otherwise, no one gets on. They go to a wide
> open band instead.
> With the huge numbers of HF hams, and knowing the competitive nature of
> many, combining ten meters with six meters in a contest would be a good
> way to expose HF hams to at least the lower end of the VHF spectrum. It
> would force them to use that button that says 6M. Who knows, but it may
> provide a gateway for them to more of our lower VHF bands in the process!
> I was just on 10 M last week as W1AW/1 in Maine. Each day, I would fire
> up the rig after listening to a dead band with no apparent signals in
> evidence. It was literally dead from 28.00 up to 28.55 or so with no
> amateur signals heard. After getting on and calling CQ, stations would
> start to appear and many contacts were made with no direct (East West) F2
> propagation at all. The # of callers got so intense, that I had to operate
> split frequency. Most contacts were via back scatter from the N-S path
> with a little Es thrown in on occasion. Without turning the beam you could
> work weak signals from the Pacific NW and CA all the way east to Europe.
> All it took was a reason for people to get on and the DX was there!
> Six meters will not open like 10 M will, unless the sunspots are very
> high, but much of the same mechanisms at work on ten meters are in effect
> on six meters. I think the combination of these two bands in a contest is a
> great idea. Grid squares on ten is OK too, but will (I believe) do nothing
> to improve VHF activity. Combining the two bands in a contest will promote
> VHF activity. Not sure how to implement things, but possibly another six
> and ten ARRL contest in Early July might be a hoot! No other bands allowed!!
> I am not sure that combining the existing December Ten Meter ARRL
> contest with 6M is a good idea. That contest is a world wide stage and
> adding six meters would destroy the intent I believe. Mid Summer seems
> better for a combo 6&10 contest, as it limits activity within the states,
> and Es is at maximum then. There are plenty of options, and all seem
> exciting. We need to shake things up.
>
> 73
> Dave K1WHS
>
>
>
>
>
> 73
> Dave K1WHS
>
>
>
>
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