[CQ-Contest] ARRL 160m band plan

[Bill Tippett]

LZ2CJ wrote:

"With ARRL proposed band plan for 160m USA ops will hardly be able to 
work any LZ or Eastern Europe on SSB on top band.
On freqs above 1840 there are so many and SOO loud Russian speaking 
stations, that I could not imagine picking up mostly weak SSB signals of 
US stations out of this mess.( specially in contests) even with beverage 
antennas."

        If I were a EU station operating the CQ 160 SSB, I would operate
split below 1843 and listen for NA above 1843...remembering that NA can go 
all the way up to 2000.  More DX would be worked on SSB by all if EU and
NA operated split as is done by most stations on 75 meters.  Keeping USA/VE 
above 1843 would allow USA/VE to hear more EU calling below that frequency
and vice versa.  As it stands now, the band down to 1800 is full of extremely
strong USA/VE stations CQ'ing...with the exception of the window which is 
filled with very strong North American (Caribbean) stations CQ'ing.  

        If it it were up to me I would eliminate the CQ 160 SSB.  IMHO SSB 
is a completely incompatible mode for working weak-signal DX underneath 
very strong wide-bandwidth local signals on a very crowded band.  That is 
one of many reasons that I never enter it.  Thankfully ARRL does not 
sponsor a 160 SSB contest and the 73 Magazine SSB contest died years ago!
I do hope SSB contest sponsors will consider honoring ARRL's bandplan as
I actually feel it will make for a more enjoyable contest for all.

                                                73,  Bill  W4ZV

P.S.  Did I say I hate SSB on 160?  :-)


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