[CQ-Contest] 14.300 MHz

[Tom VE3II]

Hi Dennis....

Oh, if were just that easy.  

Dennis, 14.300 has, over the years, become the de facto emergency 
frequency on 20 meters.  Several marine radio manufacturers have 
now specified 14.300 as a marine emergency frequency and written 
it in the manuals for their new radios.  
 
Over the past few years we have handled numerous emergency 
medical incidents, vessels in distress and a pirate attack "in 
progress" from non-amateur stations because they knew to come to 
14.300 for assistance.  How did they know?  Because, aside from 
the thousands of amateurs who listen to the net each day, 
thousands of other non-hams listen to the net.  They listen for 
information, weather updates, hurricane bulletins or to just to 
listen to someone while they are out on the sea.  They are also 
told by other boaters that if you need help, go to 14.300.

Moving the net to 17 meters, or any other frequency, is not an 
option.  This would create a totally unacceptable and dangerous  
situation that would place lives in jeopardy.  Unlike contesting, 
what we do on 14.300 is serious, life and death work.  We don't 
collect points, we don't go for the rare ones, we save lives.   

You speak of the uninformed contester, what about the uninformed 
mariner who "didn't get the email" that the net was going to move 
for the weekend?  What would happen if he has an emergency during 
a contest and comes to 14.300 for help and finds no one?  Unlike 
a contest, an emergency at sea is not a scheduled event.

In my opinion, the more prudent and responsible action is for the 
contest promoters, CQ and the ARRL, to amend the contest rules 
concerning frequencies of operation.  

The rules for this weekends contest were two pages long.  They 
defined multipliers, prefixes, categories, specifying power 
limits, how to submit your log and so on.  A single, one line 
rule could be added saying that "...this contest will operate 
between frequency X and frequency Y".  Is that so hard to do?

Sure, some contesters might argue about it.  Some may even refuse 
to participate because of it.  But the majority would accept it.  
They might even agree with it if they knew the whole story.

Let me refer you to an article I wrote last spring (2004) for 
QRZ.  http://www.qrz.com/ib-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=3;t=58793
This may help to clarify our position. 

You were concerned about enforcement.  Let me assure you, Dennis, 
that if a wary contester strayed out of the contest bandwidth, he 
would be set upon by those not participating.  I really don't  
think enforcement would be an issue :)

Over the past couple of years I have heard from both CQ and the 
ARRL about how they can't do this.  They both suggested that we 
move the net to a WARC band for the weekend, just like you did.  
They also suggested it would be impossible to enforce, just like 
you did.  

What I would like is a straight answer as to why this can't be 
done.  Is there a bigger picture that non-contest stations are 
not aware of?  Is there a bylaw in the CQ or ARRL constitution 
that prohibits this?  Or is the ARRL and CQ just afraid to do 
anything about it?

Unless this issue is resolved, God help the sailor who runs into 
trouble at sea on a contest weekend and needs help.

73 .....

Tom VE3II
A/Mgr. MMSN
http://mmsn.org

 

From:           	"n6ki at juno.com" <n6ki at juno.com>
Date sent:      	Mon, 28 Mar 2005 03:16:17 GMT
To:             	swojton at wzrd.com
Copies to:      	cq-contest at contesting.com,
 	ve3ii at zing-net.ca
Subject:        	Re: [CQ-Contest] 14.300 MHz


A noble cause but difficult to enforce.

Your other choices, if the word just doesn't get out to ALL contestors, is to waste a lot of time chasing uninformed contestors away from your freq, which in essence will go on for as long as there is any propagation on 14.300 or since you also know, in advance that the contests are coming, try using some alternate solutions.

One might be to move your net to 17 mtrs which has as good as
20 mtr propagation most of the time. You may want to run a few practice nets in advance to see how 17 works and to let people be ready for the time when you may have to QSY. 

I know it would be great if all contetsors stayed at least 3 kHz away
from 14.300, but to be practical, it isn't going to happen anytime soon.
Most contestors really do not want to interfere with your net but no matter how hard you try...you will waste a lot of time and effort chasing the UNINFORMED contestors away.


73, Dennis N6KI




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