[CQ-Contest] QRP

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

Randy Johnson wrote: 
 
> I would like to suggest that some 10kHz slot be set aside by 
> gentleman's agreement for QRP to call CQ stations. For CW, 
> the 060 to 070 slot might work well in smaller contest where 
> activity doesn't get that high. Or how about 090 to 100 in 
> the bigger ones?  It's not generally busy in domestic 
> contest, and doesn't interfere with PSKer's and RTTYers.  
> Point is that if you pick that zone right, NO ONE ELSE can 
> possibly get offended by feeling something is getting taken 
> away from him.

Don't think about a "QRP window" ... first, there is no "free 
spectrum."  069-072 is almost always busy with PSK activity. 
072-080 is the home of many of the newer digital modes (MFSK, 
OLIVIA, etc.) as well as the semiautomatic WinLink stuff. 
080-100 is the traditional RTTY area and that activity does 
not "take a break" for CW contests. 

In addition, I can guarantee the LP operators who generally 
get forced higher in the band to call CQ are not going to stay 
out of a QRP zone ... not when they are being squeezed by the
HP and multi-multi operators at the bottom of the band and the 
digital operators at the top.   

> This would have an additional benefit of encouraging more QRP 
> stations to participate in contests. These days - total WA 
> guess - but probably less than 5% of participants are QRP. 
> Would creating this type of incentive encourage more to try a 
> serious effort?

If the outsize QRP premium and the personal satisfaction of having 
other operators sweat to pull your p-weak signal out of the noise 
only to find out that you're just another W6 and not even a new 
multiplier isn't enough, move up to the LP category and stop 
looking for the rest of the world to compensate you for the 
handicap you voluntarily assumed. 

73, 

   ... Joe, W4TV