[CCF] FW: [CQ-Contest] Inapplicable Band Plans and Contests

[jukka.klemola at nokia.com]

Taas, kaiken uhallakin.
aion ottaa tästä jonkin ajatuksen seuraavalle kilpailupalstalle.

73
jukka

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of ext Richard J.
> Norton
> Sent: 13 March, 2004 18:13
> To: CQ-Contest
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] Inapplicable Band Plans and Contests
> 
> 
> 
> Mode-oriented band-usage plans are suggestions made by 
> committees of amateurs,
> that if followed, should result in more efficient use of the 
> spectrum granted
> to amateur radio. The plans allocate space for the different modes in
> reasonable matches to the demand exhibited by the amateur 
> radio populace. In
> over 95% of the time they are appropriate and appear to be 
> generally followed.
> 
> There are, however, a few weekends a year, for certain hours 
> of the day on
> certain bands, where the band-plans are completely 
> inappropriate. These
> weekends are when some large amateur radio DX contests take place.
> 
> During these few weekends, amateurs that may not otherwise 
> ever use their
> radios find incentive to do so. The normally sparsely 
> populated HF bands become
> temporarily alive as many participants efficiently contact many other
> participants around the world. The demand part for the 
> contest's mode (CW or
> phone) overwhelmingly tilts any steady-state balance.
> 
> A mode, that might normally only have 5 to 10 contacts in it, 
> can have 1000
> amateurs now active. To suggest that these 1000 amateurs 
> remain in spectral
> space calculated based on everyday demand, so that 10 others 
> can each have 8
> kilohertz of bandwidth each, represents a grossly 
> inappropriate use of our
> spectrum.
> 
> With regard to 40 meter SSB operation in DX contests, note 
> that there is no
> classic CW amateur versus phone amateur issue at play here. 
> The majority of
> serious contest operators have significantly more CW 
> proficiency than any group
> of non-participants. Many actually prefer CW, but are simply 
> operating on phone
> during the weekend's event.
> 
> Contesters generally exhibit courtesy to others. Closer 
> inspection of operation
> on 40 will show that the band fills up from the top. 
> Participants follow the
> band plan until the sheer volume overwhelms the band. Then 
> and only then do
> they move downward.
> 
> Note also that contests have specifically avoided use of the 
> WARC bands at all
> times, always allowing others spectral space.
> 
> I see two sensible avenues to approach any 40 meter contest 
> band-plan issues.
> The first would be to have the IARU band plan committees add time
> considerations to their plans. With temporary input demands 
> of 1000 phone users
> and 10 CW users during two or three DX contests, it is likely 
> that their
> recommendations will approximate what occurs now.
> 
> The second approach is to simply let amateurs temporarily adjust their
> operating frequencies to cope with existing conditions, as is 
> done now.
> 
> The second approach is simpler and more efficient. Until I 
> hear convincing
> arguments against it, I recommend continuing the present practice.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Dick Norton, N6AA
>