[CQ-Contest] WARC band contesting is a thing now !

[jimk8mr at aol.com]

 I think it's a non-issue. 

Not much harm in FT-* on the WARC bands, based on its single (or two) frequency usage. WARC band contesting with CW/SSB/RTTY would be a problem.

FT-* on the non-WARC bands is a bigger threat to contesting as we know it.

73  -  Jim   K8MR

 
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Smith VE9AA <ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca>
To: jimk8mr <jimk8mr at aol.com>; cq-contest <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Wed, Feb 5, 2020 7:16 pm
Subject: RE: [CQ-Contest] WARC band contesting is a thing now !

#yiv6811574319 #yiv6811574319 -- _filtered {} _filtered {} _filtered {} #yiv6811574319 #yiv6811574319 p.yiv6811574319MsoNormal, #yiv6811574319 li.yiv6811574319MsoNormal, #yiv6811574319 div.yiv6811574319MsoNormal {margin:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New;} #yiv6811574319 a:link, #yiv6811574319 span.yiv6811574319MsoHyperlink {color:blue;text-decoration:underline;} #yiv6811574319 a:visited, #yiv6811574319 span.yiv6811574319MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple;text-decoration:underline;} #yiv6811574319 span.yiv6811574319EmailStyle17 {font-family:New;color:black;} #yiv6811574319 .yiv6811574319MsoChpDefault {} _filtered {} #yiv6811574319 div.yiv6811574319WordSection1 {} #yiv6811574319 Jim,   So that I do not misinterpret you….you are then in support of WARC band contesting?  Today VT, tomorrow Maine, next week the New England QSO Party, then the Florida QSO party, then CQWPX (Ok, I know CQ doesn’t do WARC band contesting.)  Let’s add RTTY…..OK, now CW….sure, SSB now…  Where does it end?  It’s just NOT A GOOD IDEA.  Mike VE9AAMike, Coreen & CoreyKeswick Ridge, NB  From: jimk8mr at aol.com [mailto:jimk8mr at aol.com] 
Sent: February 5, 2020 7:54 PM
To: ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca; cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] WARC band contesting is a thing now !  I don't do FT-*, at least not yet, so I may not be the most qualified person to comment. But my observation is that FT-* sits on a specific frequency, so that adding contest activity to that frequency is not likely to add to congestion for other users of the WARC bands.  My greater concern would be that as is happening the the VHF contests, FT-* activity detracts from the CW/SSB activity. In the case of Vermont, there is so little activity there anyway, that I can't imagine it making any noticeable difference. And for the few who are serious, adding another mode to work those few Vermont people could be a feature, not a bug.    73  -  Jim  K8MR        -----Original Message-----
From: Mike Smith VE9AA <ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca>
To: cq-contest <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Wed, Feb 5, 2020 6:27 pm
Subject: [CQ-Contest] WARC band contesting is a thing now !I guess in the VT QSO party it's a thing.  I sent an email to Mitch, W1SJ tovoice my displeasure/concern.      From http://www.arrl.org/contest-update-issues?issue=2020-02-05  and http://www.ranv.org/vtqso.html      ".CONVERSATION  WARC Contesting?  Perhaps you missed it. I certainly did. In the rules of the 2020 Vermont QSOParty <http://www.ranv.org/vtqso.html> , is the complete section on how FT4and FT8 contacts can be made for the VT QSO Party. There are a bunch ofrules related to FTx mode contacts for the VT QSO party listed, includinghow the standard exchange of grid square is to be used, and this, rule 6:  "6. FT8/FT4 contacts can be made on the recognized FT8 frequencies of10.136/10.140, 18.110/18.104 and 24.920/24.919 MHz upper side band. No othermodes are allowed on 30, 17 and 12 meters."   The potential problem is that the frequencies cited in rule 6 are WARC bands<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WARC_bands> . There's been a gentleman'sagreement among... I guess, "gentlemen," that the WARC bands won't be usedfor contesting. Certainly you won't find any ARRL Contests<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Contest%20-%20General/HFContestingGuidlines_201411.pdf>  using the WARC bands. CQ Magazine and WWROF sponsored contestsalso disallow usage of WARC bands for their events. The verbiage in the ARRLContesting Guidelines<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Contest%20-%20General/HFContestingGuidlines_201411.pdf>  is the most explicit, stating the rules as well as therationale: "WARC bands are not used for contests, therefore moving to thesebands during contest weekends is an option for casual operators and ragchewers."  Hams are a self-regulating sort, by and large. It would be pretty obvious inother modes if someone were contesting on the WARC bands, since they mighthave the tells of sending "CQ TEST." Or if someone was soliciting a contestQSO without being obvious about it, they'd be taking their chances ingetting someone that wanted to have a genuine conversation beyond "59" andtheir state. That kind of stuff really ruins the rate.  But with the FT modes, the "regular" non-contest exchange is basically thesame as the contest exchange. You really can't tell whether someone callingCQ from a particular grid is trying to use the band for a contest contact,or just wants a regular FTx contact.  I've made some FT4 and FT8 contacts both outside of contests and as part ofthe WW Digi DX and ARRL RTTY Roundup. Outside of a contest period, I'vedecoded people doing directional CQs, probably to work on their WASawards...or maybe they just like one of that state's sports teams. But inthe future, I might wonder if another QSO Party changed their rules to allowcontacts on the WARC bands as well.  In my opinion, allowing FTx contacts to count for the VT QSO Party may nothave been thought all the way through. Intended to spur greaterparticipation, it's not breaking any regulations but runs counter toworldwide consensus that the WARC bands of 30, 17, and 12 meters should becontest-free to give non-contesters some breathing room on busy weekends.This has worked very, very well for more than 30 years. While one of thesmaller state QSO parties will not be too disruptive, there's no reason toopen the door to bigger events that certainly will cause problems.  <snip> N9ADG."              Wow- I don't have words.      -Mike VE9AA      Mike, Coreen & Corey  Keswick Ridge, NB      _______________________________________________CQ-Contest mailing listCQ-Contest at contesting.comhttp://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest