[SECC] 160 plan

[John Vickers]

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Fisher, W4AN
<...  there are about .0000000000000000000000000000000001% of hams affected
>by the CQ 160 SSB contest or the NAQP SSB contest.

I'll agree, there is a small % of the ham population affected by these
contest.  BUT its my understanding the petetion RM-10352 was not concieved
because of the contest. It has come about because of the migration of the
guys from the crowded and unruly 75m band. I know, I know, you may accuse me
of peering into my crystal ball or crying wolf, but I can see it comming.
This RM is only an attempt to hedge what is an inevitable circumstance.

I've operated the low bands almost all my life. I was SWLing 160 ,80, and 40
with an old philco when I was 9 yrs old. Licensed at 11 and made my first
160 contact in 1963 at 13 yrs old when Georgia hams were not even allowed to
use the band.  I had to cross the Savannah River & spend the weekends with
my cousins to legally use 160.  I hate to admit it, but there's been very
few nights,   in the past 41 + yrs that I've not listened to 160 or 75 M.
(surely I could've found somethin else to do!!)

I'm no big Contester, no big DXer, but I've been witness to the changes in
personalities on the low bands over this period. Without some clear rules,
the future looks bleak for Topband and all our favorite aspects of ham
radio.  First it'll probably be the AMers that'll be targeted for
extinction, that old junk takes up too much room, they'll say.  Then the
lowly old antiquated CW guys, who needs them anyway, that stuff should have
gone down with the Titanic. Guess who's gonna be next on the list ??  Why
the contesters thats who. The good ole boy ssb ragchewers are tired of
giving up their freq all weekend for some silly contest and before you know
it you'll be fighting for your lives. Can't get any backing  from the AMers
or the old CW guys, they went into extinction a few years ago. Nothing left
on the bands but a few  sheep in contest clothing and the largest wolf pack
you've ever seen, all carrying their D-104's.  You can 'baahh' for help but
there's no one left but you and the big bad wolf.

Anyone needing a reminder, just call CQ contest in the phone portion of 75m
and it shouldn't take long to see where I'm comming from.


>.......... the bottom line is that the current situation isn't broken for
most of us.

This is very true, but do we just worry about MOST of us .....or do we work
together to  protect the hobby  so that ALL of us will have a place to enjoy
what we like best about Ham Radio ?  Just because its not  broke right now
doesn't mean we can't add a little additional bracing to help shore it up
for down the road.

Not fussing--- just begging !!
73 John WA4TT




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