SV: [CQ-Contest] New WPX Rules...

[Jan-Eric Rehn/SM3CER]

Hello fellow contesters,

I feel I must answer this one...

>Wrong.  After listening to Europeans work each other on 40 SSB and NOT
>listening up for stateside, it sounded like the European QSO Party. 
>
>73,
>Larry K4AB (Op. of WZ4F)

I was in the contest for a few QSOs Single Op./Low Power (have a 3 el yagi on 40, so couldn't compete in the TS class). I usually work in Multi teams from other places than my own QTH due to big trouble with TVI, BCI and I don't know what -I... When I work from home - even with low power - I jump high every time the doorbell or the telephone rings. So - from home I work very few S & P QSOs - but listen very much.

I listened quite a lot especially on 40 meters because I thought I could make a couple of stateside QSOs and lots of EU:s with 100 W and a 3 el yagi. But - every time I was scanning the band - almost every EU was listening above 7150 - and ALMOST EVERY US STATION WAS LISTENING BELOW 7040. I must have heard at least 30-40 US stations and I think I could call 3 or 4 of those, because they were listening above 7040 (at that moment - I heard them listen below most of the time). I managed to work one (1) US station listening above 7040 and a couple of minutes after our QSO I heard him say "I hate to do this but - CQ Contest de xxxxx - listening on 7028". I will not mention his call because then xxxxx will be mad at me :-)

This situation is exactly the same as if I should call CQ somewhere between 7040-7100 and QSX 7090 for US stations on SSB. I beleive that frequency is only for CW for you in the US. I know that is forbidden for you - therefore I don't do it. You know it's forbidden for us in Region 1 to work SSB in the CW segment 7000-7040 - but you QSX below 7040 and I just can't understand why - and it's the same year after year.

So - the simple answer to Larrys statement is - WE HEARD YOU, but we are quite a few in EU who try to follow the rules and regulations and just don't use SSB below 7040.

Here's what our band plan says about 7 MHz:

- - - - - - -

IARU REGION 1 HF BAND PLAN (as adopted at the 1996 General Conference)

7000 - 7035 CW 
7035 - 7040 Digimode except packet (*), SSTV, FAX, CW 
7040 - 7045 Digimode except packet (*), SSTV, FAX, Phone, CW 
7045 - 7100 Phone, CW 
 (*) See remarks 

Remarks:
7 MHz band.

The use of Packet Radio is discouraged on 7 MHz band.
The band segment 7035 - 7045 kHz may be used for store-and-forward traffic in the area of Africa south of the equator during local daylight hours. However, the use of more efficient modes than the AX.25 packet radio are encouraged.

National Societies are requested to advise their members to follow this Band Plan.

Copied from Region 1 News/Issue No. 113 (November 1996) 

...and here from the rules of The 42nd Annual CQ World-Wide WPX Contest 1999:

XIV. Log Instructions: ..... 
(f) Each entry ...... Also submit a signed declaration that all contest rules and regulations for amateur radio in the country of operation have been observed.

XV. Disqualification: .....
Violation of amateur radio regulations in the country of the contestant, or the rules of the contest, unsportsmanlike conduct, taking credit for excessive duplicate contacts, unverifiable QSO’s or multipliers will be deemed sufficient cause for disqualification.

- - - - - - -

I don't beleive anyone can convince me I'm wrong as long as we have this band plan and these rules...

By the way - as a small slingshot in this WPX - I thought the 1-pointers increased the US activity - and everything that makes the activity increase is good!

73 de Jan

SM3CER, Jan-Eric Rehn
SSA Contest Manager - SWEDEN
SK3BG Webmaster
K6U at WRTC-96

E-mail: sm3cer at contesting.com
ICQ: 11074897
URL: http://www.sk3bg.se/   (SK3BG Club Site)
URL: http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/   (SM3CER Contest Service) ... also rather complete :-)

*** "Winners never quit, Quitters never win" ***


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