[RTTY] Band Plan and RTTY contesting

[Don Cassel]

On Saturday I had to deal with an interfering station on 14.090.7 telling me
over and over that I was using a frequency reserved for beacons. While he
may be technically correct he was wrong in causing excessive interference
and also in his interpretation of the band plan rules. When I finally asked
him to identify his station he refused and then left the frequency. 

Just to set things straight the ARRL band plan rules state:

"Nothing in the rules recognizes a net's, group's or any individual's
special privilege to any specific frequency. Section 97.101(b) of the Rules
states that "Each station licensee and each control operator must cooperate
in selecting transmitting channels and in making the most effective use of
the amateur service frequencies. No frequency will be assigned for the
exclusive use of any station." No one "owns" a frequency."

And since I'm Canadian and operate under Canadian regulations here is what
the RAC band plan states:

"GENERAL NOTES:
. Where Notes are shown, these activities have priority over other
activities.
. During major weekend Contest activities, activity in certain modes can
spill over into other
segments."

There are some additional notes but they are not relevant to this situation.

So it appears that I was fully within my rights to be operating where I was.
You have to wonder why someone would need to find a beacon during a contest
anyway as there are more than enough signals on the bands to establish where
openings are. We all know that this person was just being a jerk but I think
it helps us all to know that there are exceptions to the rules.

73, Don VE3XD