[CQ-Contest] QRO, QRM, QSL

[Marijan Miletic]

Having seen few USA multi-multi stations, W1AW, 4U1ITU, 9A1A, East EU offerings
on DL flea market, I must admit that I was ONLY amazed by Italian technology!

However, Mauri, I4JMY did some wrong calculations on my claim:

>>The trouble is, that some Italian stations use 20dB more than their 300W
>>legal input power and generate one-way propagations as they simply can NOT
>>hear DX replies with a reasonable power!

>  Unless Marijan himself did experience some 30KW amplifier, getting
>  confirmations of such theory in his recent Italian ARRL MM phone
>  effort from II3T

Modern solid-state HF transceiver with 100W RF output consumes around 300W and
fits nicely within the legal Italian input power limit WITHOUT any amplifier!
But additional 20dB is used to keep the frequency clear...

>  Moreover, to hear or not to hear among nearby stations is often a
>  matter of local noises, such as power lines or any RF generated by
>  other industrial plants, when not a temporary situation due to a
>  wave skip or antennas at different heights.

Main "noise" is unfortunately generated by contesters themselves and not mother
nature or the rest of mankind!  Intermodulation TX products are always present
and they are directly related to the OUTPUT power.  However clean SSB signal one
may have, it will always make more spectral polution with the excessive power as
the receivers are additionally overloaded.  We are assigned only a very small
portions of HF and all MUST obey a reasonable power limits for efficient use!

This is accepted in the USA areas with a high ham concentrations or other RF
congested environments (like Bologna's Mount Capra :-).

Major contest weekends play a havoc with 6 HF bands from 1.8 - 28 MHz.
Fortunately, 3 are left filled with a reasonable strength signals.
Contest QRM is the main reason why we are disliked minority by the other hams.
Many complaints and restrictive proposals are submited on every IARU meeting.
Situation is geting worse with increased radiation awareness and RFI rules.

>  Not everybody is so lucky to have a mountain peak or a low-level
>  industrialized area where setting his contest station.

We may all end up in such a zoo's!  Hopefully not before WRTC-2000...

S5 HF hams are already called "dinosaurus" and SW abbreviation is nicely
interpreted as "Stone Waves" by our distinguished DC-THz expert S53MV.

> Second it looks like if Slovenia is one of the continental state of USA.

I would be happy even with KP4 status (including WX & CONDX :-)


73 de Mario, S56A, N1YU, W1BCD trustee in CT with beams and towers!


P.S.  DSP made me a humble HF CW op!


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