[CQ-Contest] SSB in CW band

[Richard DiDonna NN3W]

I applaud all the efforts to ensure congeniality, but frankly its just never going to happen with 40 meters in its present condition.  You have a 300 KHz wide frequency band that is accessible to the world for intercontinental communications 18-20 hours of the day.  Couple that with all of the 100, 250, and 500 KW broadcasters between 7100 and 7300, and you frankly have about 175 KHz of usable amateur spectrum inclusive of the portion usually the exclusive playing ground for CW ops (i.e., below 7.025 MHz).

Given how many contesters were active this weekend, it is not physically possible to contain all of those stations (especially the one with the processers turned all the way to the right) in 125 KHz of spectrum (175 KHz minus Mal's proposed set-asides).  Hell, it was virtually impossible to contain all of the contesters in about 250 KHz of spectrum on 20 meters.  

Is it any wonder why the SSB contest QSO counts for us North Americans and USA stations are less than 400???  No.  Its becuase the band limitations don't allow for it.  

Give it a year a too - the BCers will be moved up and 40 will really shine...

73 Rich NN3W