[CQ-Contest] Making the most of 40M SSB

[Bill Coleman]

On Oct 29, 2005, at 2:40 AM, LA5HE Ragnar Otterstad wrote:

> I came on 40 m this morning, only to find several phone stations as  
> low as
> 7012 !

The lowest I heard was SV1CVY, who was at 7000.5, which, in my book,  
is out of band. He was calling CQ.

> It is  very disappointing that so many phone contesters show no  
> respect for
> the IARU bandplan !    What a nuisance !

Yeah, it's easy to just complain about this, but think about the  
entire situation.

There's currently only 100 kHz of band in regions 1 and 3. During a  
contest, everyone wants a frequency -- hundreds, if not thousands of  
people. Frequency has to be relatively clear so you can hear and be  
heard. Most countries do not have regulatory limitations on  
emissions, so it is legal for SSB transmissions to be made lower in  
the band.

I heard a bunch of PSK activity around 7070 here stateside, in the  
midst of all the region 1 and 3 SSB.

Just wait, four weekends from now, the roles will be reversed, and  
we'll hear CW from 7000-7100, solid.

> There ought to be a penalty for transmitting in the CW band !  IMHO

I think that amateurs ought to be able to flexibly use their  
frequencies as conditions and demand permits. Despite the intense use  
of 7000-7100 kHz this weekend, and similar high population of  
7150-7300, there was almost no activity from 7100-7150.

With the right regulations, we could use more of the band and there  
would be less likelihood for conflict. Hopefully, some of this will  
occur by 2009 when 7100-7200 opens up in regions 1 and 3.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901