[CQ-Contest] Contest-Free Zones was: Re: Record Number of SAC CW Logs -- Now Grab YourMicrophones!

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

Mats,

There's two factors involved here.

One is a bunch of anti-contest whiners, who spend time immemorial
complaining on the various internet forums about "those darn contesters."
Notice that those who complain the loudest are rarely on the air on any
band, at any time.

The other... sorry Pete, but even if you disagree with the rules of a
contest setting up "contest free" zones, they ought to be followed.  Not
only is it good amateur practice and sets a good example, but by breaking
the contest rules in that way, you only give ammunition to the anti-contest
whiners.

While we contesters activate the bands (and how), we also have to share them
with the non-contesters.  No matter what the reason is, to push the
non-contesters completely off of a given band, especially when operating a
non-traditional mode in certain band segments -- such as SSB on 7005 kHz,
for example -- is to antagonize and alienate other operators on the bands.

Just because we have a "right" to use a frequency doesn't mean that we
should.  

Sometimes we're our own worst enemies.

73, ron w3wn  

-----Original Message-----
From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mats Strandberg
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 2:24 PM
To: n4zr at contesting.com
Cc: cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Contest-Free Zones was: Re: Record Number of SAC
CW Logs -- Now Grab YourMicrophones!

Pete,

I perfectly agree with you...  WARC bands are underestimated when it comes
to find contest-free bands or segments. Even during very heavy contests like
CQWW, WPX, RDXC and others, I see that WARC bands are not used to their full
extent. People are whining about contesters on the forums instead of
activating modes and bands with contests.

73 de RA/SM6LRR, Mats

2011/10/3 Pete Smith <n4zr at contesting.com>

> Sorry Mats, I did not mean to cast aspersions on the SAC - I think the
same
> thing could be said with respect to contest-free zones in all contests, or
> at least all single-mode contests.  After all, the WARC bands and the
other
> modes are always available to non-contesters, as is lots of spectrum
within
> the contest bands and mode, except perhaps on SSB during CQWW.
>
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
>
> The World Contest Station Database, updated daily at
> www.conteststations.com
> The Reverse Beacon Network at http://reversebeacon.net, blog at
> reversebeacon.blogspot.com,
> spots at telnet.reversebeacon.net, port 7000
>
>
>
> On 10/3/2011 1:34 PM, Mats Strandberg wrote:
>
>> About contest-free segments, I see no problems at all with that. On the
>> contrary, it shows that the organizers are keen to leave space for
>> non-contesters to operate. Too many contest sponsors have a sloppy
approach
>> to contest-free segments. This causes a big irritation among
non-contesters.
>> I am definitely in favour of penalties for stations who do not follow the
>> suggested segments of a contest.
>>
>
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