[CQ-Contest] prejudicial language

[Roger Parsons]

Hi Dave

You are quite correct in your interpretation of the historical reasons for 
SSB being used in the lower part of the band on 160m. Just as an aside the 
UK allows any mode between 1810 and 2000 kHz, but only permits high power 
between 1810 and 1850. I believe that most European countries are now 
allocated at least 1810-1850 and that this band is supposed to be worldwide 
exclusive amateur. I fear that we will wait quite some time before a 
majority of countries are allowed much more than this though.

Of course, operating has to be tempered with common sense, and I feel that 
there is a big difference between a pileup on some SSB DX in the 'CW' part 
of the band and it being impossible to operate CW at all because it is full 
of loud same-continent QSOs.

You actually make my point when you say that during CQWW SSB the band was 
full of contest stations up as far as 1950. There's another 50kHz beyond 
that, which could be used for NA QSOs and which could leave the bottom part 
free for CW.

I made an input to the ARRL group about bandplanning. My proposal was that 
1800-1830 should be exclusively CW at all times, with the exception that 
1810-1815 should be available for digital modes. That would have allowed 
intercontinental CW or SSB contacts with just about every country and would 
have split the 'DX' part between CW and SSB. As you know my suggestion was 
not adopted. The ARRL proposal suits me much better except that I think it 
has a similar chance of success to that of the proverbial snowball.

73 and see you in the contests!
Roger
VE3ZI/G3RBP



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