[CQ-Contest] NAQP SSB 160m

[Shelby Summerville]

ve3zi at yahoo.com wrote: "I understand and accept that during major
international contests the whole of the band will be
used for SSB, but do feel that this contest could, and
should, be operated in accordance with the accepted
band plan"

First, I think it has been established that "band plans" are just that! They 
are plans, nothing more, and certainly not legally binding? I see absolutely 
no difference between, "so called" major International contests, and NAQP, 
as far as observing the band plan? Either it is observed, or it isn't...no 
gray area? I had no contacts below 1843, but I did suffer extensive, 
intentional, interference, when I was operating at 1993.5, being accused of 
interfering with a "net operation", on 1992.0? I have no idea what this 
"net" was, but it wasn't interfering with me, so how could I be interfering 
with it? Is this another of the "need 5 kHz either side of the operating 
frequency" operation? Of the 74 stations, worked on 160, 23 of them were 
above 1900!
NAQP is a low power, 12 hour contest, and IMHO, the entire amateur 
community, especially those outside the contest community, need to be more 
receptive to the fact that during a contest there are going to be 
inconveniences? Actually it would be great training, if these "nets" learned 
to operate with less than optimum conditions, to better prepare them for the 
"actual" situations? After all, isn't that the purpose of nets..."emergency 
training"?

Flame suit on

C'Ya, Shelby - K4WW