[CQ-Contest] Disruption of Emergency Communication during CQWW SSBcontest

[Mike McCarthy, W1NR]

First of all, any emergency communications should be respected at any
time. But...

I would echo Dave's comments and add that CQWW Phone is probably the
busiest HAM radio weekend of the year and the frequencies 3815 and 7162,
although well known in the Caribbean for relief nets, are not well known
here in the USA or Europe. In addition, these are prime contest
frequencies on any given weekend and would be difficult for even a big
gun contest station to hold. I believe that their choice as emergency
traffic net frequencies is a bad one and should probably be readdressed.

Also, I saw no notices or warnings given out prior to the contest that
these nets would be in operation.

Mike, W1NR

On 11/11/2010 05:15 PM, K1TTT wrote:
> Every net, be it just regular traffic or especially emergency ones, should
> have a backup frequency/mode to switch to if the normal one is busy, noisy,
> or doesn't have propagation.  WARC bands are good for that, also switching
> to cw or digital is an option, or just having another frequency away from
> known activity.  The net at 3815 should now have learned an important
> lesson, when there is a big ssb contest their frequency may be overrun...
> and since they are likely stuck on low power generators with broken antennas
> they may not be heard no matter how many times they tell stations to qsy...
> besides if one contester qsy's, another is likely to hear the nice quiet
> hole and move in shortly, not having heard the admonition to move... and
> stations working split listening up there from Europe will never be able to
> be told to move.  So a good dose of reality is necessary for both sides,
> when a well known emergency frequency is in use and announced before the
> contest, hopefully enough word gets around and loud guard stations can be
> posted to keep the frequency relatively clear... but the net must always
> have a backup plan for emerging situations or in case 'their' frequency is
> busy.
>
>