[CQ-Contest] A proposal

[Michael Coslo]

On Aug 2, 2006, at 4:51 PM, <ku8e at bellsouth.net> <ku8e at bellsouth.net>  
wrote:

>
>   I think these people who claim that contest activity take up all  
> the bands have a "poor" excuse.
>
>   During a DX contest only 20/15/10 meters are being used during  
> the day and 160/80/40 and maybe
>   20 meters at night. During SS you could add 40 meters as a band  
> that would be used during the
>   day.

	Of course. Propagation pretty much dictates that. Which means that  
the others are going to be on those bands also.

	Remember to look at more than just DX contests also. On any given  
weekend, there are other contests too. And the people who dislike  
contesters don't discriminate between DX and state QSO parties.

	Just this weekend there are 6 contests going on according to the  
ARRL website.


> Plus, most contests are a single mode - either CW or SSB only on a  
> given weekend. The only
>   major multi-mode contests I can think of are IARU or the ARRL 10  
> meter contest. I'm sorry but there
>   is plenty of room for everyone to co-exist.

	The PAQSO is multi-mode - CW, SSB, FM, RTTY, PSK. Plenty of other  
parties are too. While we may have a perspective based on the type of  
contesting that we are doing, others lump all types of contesting  
together.


>
>     I would like to see a few short operating events on the WARC  
> bands. Maybe something like a
>   Sprint format and low power so you couldn't just sit on a  
> frequency and CQ.  If I remember right
>  didn't the ARRL allow contacts on the WARC bands during Field Day  
> one year ??
>
>      These "contest bashers" are going to harass us no matter what  
> band a contest is going on.
>    99% of these guys are old farts who have nothing better to do...  
> In fact they are probably the same
>    people you heard harassing the KH8SI Dxpedition.

	In the interest of fairness let us remember that the opposite  
situation is also true. I've watched High power contesters come onto  
a frequency and stomp on whoever was there before. I've certainly  
heard a bit of that also. There is a reason for the animosity.

	I believe that it is in contesters and Amateur radio's general best  
interest that we allow some "contest free zones". Just a matter of  
trying to get along with our neighbors. 8^)

-73 de Mike KB3EIA -