[CQ-Contest] prejudicial language

[Tom Rauch]

Hi Mario, 

I agree with Bill. SSB contests do not belong on 160 meters, at 
least not with the rules we have at present. They are simply far too 
disruptive to everyone, and it is the operators, contest organizers, 
and FCC/ARRL's fault.

The band is wide enough, it just is not used with any common 
sense. The ARRL and FCC seem to think we don't need 
wide/narrow mode segments, and contest organizers and 
participants seem to think all non-contest agreements should be 
tossed out for the duration of the contest.

It is much like a group of street racers taking over a busy road for a 
weekend several times a year!     

There are dozens of Europeans who could be readable and 
workable if not covered by a wall of stateside stations operating 
from 1800 to 1860 and higher with about 2kHz or less of separation 
between each. Virtually all of them have no hope of hearing even 
the stronger DX, and it is probably a limit everyone shares because 
of QRM rather than noise level or propagation.

The usual result is everyone swears "the band was not open" when 
indeed it was open.

While a few stations either unwisely turn the power limiting controls 
inside transceivers full-off (to get another 1.5 dB of power at the 
expense of ten times the IMD) or may not have the PA's 
tuned/driven properly or have other technical difficulties, but the 
largest problem is just the stacking of multiple stations one against 
each other in the lower 70kHz of the band. 

The best thing that could ever happen would be to eliminate SSB 
contests on 160, or somehow force the US stations to stay above 
1850 and work DX split.

I absolutely can not understand why people park in the area from 
1800-1850 when they haven't a chance of working anyone in all that 
mess, or why the rules don't force USA stations up out of that area.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI at contesting.com 


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