[CQ-Contest] TQP vs CQ RTTY

[Steve Harrison]

At 09:46 AM 10/1/2007 -0400, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
>
>Steve writes: 
>
>> It would be far better and easier for all concerned if the 
>> rattiers simply stayed up the band as they used to. 
>
>International RTTY never stayed "up the band."  

I certainly do not remember, in the 42 years I've been contesting, EVER
consistently hearing, throughout a weekend, ratty below 7035, let alone all
the way down into the Extra class CW band. NEVER.

In fact, I never even knew there might be a ratty contest going on, until
the last several years, and ESPECIALLY since the dang FCC did its
fumbly-diddle earlier this year.

>> This would be easy for the ratty contest sponsors to control: 
>> simply list subband limits for their contes in their rules. 
>
>That is not possible.  The "RTTY" band for Regions 1 and 3 
>*IS* 7040 +/- activity.  Centering RTTY activity on 7070 is 
>simply not possible in most areas until the rest of the 
>world gets access to 7000-7100 and Regions 1/3 update their 
>bandplans.  Even then, I doubt you will see much movement 
>relieve the pressure around 7040 although it may help some 
>between 7025 and 7035. 

What really needs to be made clear is the rattiers need to stay as far
above 7025 as possible. There is simply no reason at all why they should go
below that frequency, let alone clear down to 7015, as I heard several loud
ones do this past weekend.

Steve, K0XP