[RTTY] Beating A Dead Horse

[Thomas F. Giella NZ4O]

We have reached the point in this thread where we are now going in circles 
and beating a dead horse. So I might as well join in one last time.

Here is the situation as I see it as a CW, SSB and digital modes 160 meter 
operator:

1.) CW ops don't want SSB and PSK31/RTTY ops to operate 160 meters.
2.) CW contesters don't want SSB and PSK31/RTTY contesters to operate 160 
meters.

As I said in and earlier post, "Five words come to my mind: personal 
selfishness, gated community mentality."

The propagation argument put forth as a reason to not have RTTY contests on 
160 meters does not hold water.

I've been a regular operator on 160 meters for 20 years and have watched the 
band go from crowded to virtually and empty wasteland, mainly due to many
hams becoming SK's and/or moving into assisted living facilities. I believe 
in the concept of use the bands or lose the bands.

I'm retired and am a full time ham and can tell you that all the MF/HF bands 
are very underutilized during the work week and not very
busy on the weekends when no contests are scheduled. Weekend contests 
populate otherwise empty bands, a good argument for contesting.

Start a 160 meter RTTY contest and they will come. The newcomers will then 
operate 160 meters when there are no contests and the band will come back to 
life.

73 & GUD DX,
Thomas F. Giella, NZ4O
Lakeland, FL, USA
nz4o at arrl.net

NZ4O Amateur & SWL Radio Autobiography: http://www.nz4o.org