[CQ-Contest] Re: Bad practices identified

[Bill Coleman AA4LR]

On 7/20/00 12:13, Bill Turner at w7ti at jps.net wrote:

>I say when a station QSYs he immediately relinquishes the frequency.  If a
>second station finds the empty spot and calls CQ one time, it's his.  How
>else could it be without having utter chaos?

I think this is flawed. It presupposes a notion of "ownership" of a 
frequency. There's no such thing in the amatuer service.

I believe there are only two principles involved in these sorts of 
frequency battles. The first, since there's no ownership of frequencies, 
denotes the concept of frequency use. When we send QRL?, we don't ask who 
owns the frequency, we ask if the frequency is in use.

If a frequency is in use for a bona fide amatuer activity, then the 
second principle comes into play: intentional interference. Once it is 
known that a frequency is in use, trying to use that frequency for other 
purposes may constitute intentional interference. (This isn't true of all 
modes, Packet, for instance, can share frequencies to good effect)

What this means is that no amatuer should intentionally occupy a 
frequency in use, so as to cause intentional interference with other 
amatuer activities. 

So, sure, when a SO2R operator QSYs, he's no longer using the frequency. 
Of course, the observer can't tell if he QSYed or not except by 
implication: 20-90 seconds go by with no transmissions.

Now, if another operator starts in and begins to CQ, the operating 
question is -- who is using the frequency? Seems like the new guy can 
make that claim.

Interestingly, if you apply this concept of non-ownership, usage-only and 
non-interference to other operations, it leads you to some decisive 
conclusions:

* Contester is running, when a voice comes on frequency and declares that 
this frequency is for the "XYZ" net, which uses it every day at this 
time. -- With non-ownership, the net can't possibly claim the frequency, 
regardless of prior history. Since it is clear the contester is using the 
frequency, non-interference would dictate the net will have to operate 
slightly off their usual frequency. (But, there's no harm in a net 
operator politely requesting the contester to move -- a consciencious 
operator is likely to QSY a bit)

* Automatic broadcasts by ARRL, et al. While the frequencies and 
schedules are published, these operations often interfe with existing 
amatuer activity in progress. With the concepts outlined above, such 
operations should have to QSY if the frequencies are in used when they 
are scheduled to begin.... (Except outside the designated freqencies for 
automatic operation)

Hmm...

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at radio.org
Quote: "Boot, you transistorized tormentor! Boot!"
            -- Archibald Asparagus, VeggieTales


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>From Igor Sokolov" <ua9cdc at dialup.mplik.ru  Wed Jul 26 21:22:05 2000
From: Igor Sokolov" <ua9cdc at dialup.mplik.ru (Igor Sokolov)
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2000 02:22:05 +0600
Subject: [CQ-Contest] QRL?, ?,  etc on phone
References: <003001bff6d6$7cd79280$1e44dec3 at user>
Message-ID: <006501bff73f$2e954cc0$d56ffea9 at dialup.mplik.ru>


> - I agree that even a brief but straight CQ could be a bit too agressive.
> - What I do is a quick "QRZ <MYCALL>". Than the same for another time.
Than

You would get the same result then. When I am tuning across the band and
hear QRZ <CALL> I consider it to be the same as QRL? and send quick TEST
<MYCALL>
I think K3ZO approach is the best for nowadays crowded bands at least for
those who are in the contest for real. When I am participating just for fun
I never do it.

> And BTW, the "I E" is not really a common thing here in this part of the
> world.

True, it is not anymore. But those of us who were active contesters 15-20-25
years ago still remember that being used widely.

73,
Igor, UA9CDC


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