[CQ-Contest] SSB in CW band

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

> 2.  My analogy is flawed?  Hmmm.  40 is taken over by 
> contesters, so if you don't want to contest, go to another band.  
> That's not "another route through town," to play on the analogy, 
> that's "another town."

Yes, your analogy is flawed.  Another band is not "another town" 
it's another road, perhaps a road less traveled, but another 
road to making QSOs.  In the case of 40, if you're looking for 
domestic QSOs, 80 is a good alternate, if a somewhat longer path 
is your thing 30 meters is generally better than 40 any time. 

> Joe, I think it's very clear that you believe that if it's 
> not prohibited by law, it's allowed, that might makes right, 
> that anything goes if it's not illegal.

Absolutely, if it is not prohibited by law it is permitted.  Laws 
are made to provide objective rules that apply equally to everyone. 
Your "bandplans" say if I want to contest and the rest of the band 
is full up with broadcasters and 5,000 contesters, I can't do it on 
7022 but if I want to rag chew with some 5 WPM Extra across town 
using a KW I can?  That's absurd.   

If you want to prohibit a behavior for "the greater good" convince 
your bleeding heart regulators to make the behavior illegal.  

> And thus, you are one of the examples of what the non-contesters 
> are complaining about.  I'm sorry to have to say that; frankly, I 
> thought better of you.

Non-contesters have no more right to preferential access to a 
frequency than SSTV does to 14.230 or Jack Gerritsen had to the 
VHF/UHF and pubic service spectrum on the West Coast.  Amateur 
frequencies are not "assigned channels" like the commercial 
service - they are there on a first come first served basis.  I'm 
not advocating intentional interference and never will but if a 
frequency I'm licensed to use is open and I'm looking for a "hole" 
in the band, you'd better believe I'll use it and not leave it for 
someone else who might be engaged in a different kind of amateur 
activity.  

There is nothing wrong with that behavior and any non-contester who 
can't understand the concept of first come first served has not 
read the back of his/her license recently.