[SECC] Frequency Allocation Discussion

[Dan/W4NTI]

The real reason that there is a problem NOW is because up till the RTTY 
contests started clobbering the prime CW area's of especially 
40m......there wasn't a problem of major consequence. 

I don't know for sure how many RTTY contests there are a year now.  But 
it MOST CERTAINLY has increased several fold.  When the SSB boys caused 
a problem in the CW segments....it was ONLY the MAJOR DX contests.  Now 
the RTTY is all over the place.  AND even during NON CONTEST times I am 
hearing the RTTY moving down below 7030.
I guess they figure it's alright since they hear it, it seems, down 
there real regular.  I often wonder how many of these machine operators 
actually can copy CW?  Or if they really listen to the speaker,  or just 
watch the tuning indicator and GO.  I think I know that answer already.

SO I'll say it flat out.  RTTY operators need to have a little 
consideration.  Oh and BTW I love RTTY Mode.  And I love CW Mode.  So I 
do know both worlds. 

Dan/W4NTI



Tommy wrote:
> The discussion of who should operate where is a useless massage of 
> the finger muscles!
>
> First let me say that I am primarily a CW-type ham and participate in 
> as many CW contest as I choose. I now have operated on 1 1/2 RTTY 
> contest. I thoroughly enjoyed my first CQ WW RTTY contest this past 
> weekend and found the ops to be very polite and extremely good at 
> what they do. While I think that ALL hams should only operate CW, I 
> actually do realize that there are numerous modes available in this 
> HOBBY, and that since it is a hobby, everyone should operate in what 
> ever mode they enjoy. But we ALL should be flexible.
>
> No matter what mode contest happens, it is 'natural' to spread out in 
> frequency if participation is heavy. We do it in ALL CW contest, the 
> RTTY guys do it, and the SSB guys do it. And that is the way it is! 
> In the spirit of competition, we just do not stop to think who we may 
> inconvenience while operating in a contest.
>
> W4BW, the ex-FCC chairman got us the WARC bands, mainly so 
> non-contesters would have some place to operate if their favorite 
> frequencies were being used during a contest. Unfortunately, he could 
> not account for us hard-headed types who would rather complain about 
> a contest, rather than take advantage of the WARC frequencies.
>
> The ITU Regions established the frequency range of the ham bands; 
> they did not specify any mode of operation. The FCC bought into the 
> ITU Region 2 frequency allocations, but the FCC did NOT make any 
> band, except 60m, mode specific. The ARRL (not my favorite friend) 
> did their best to 'suggest' band plans, so everyone would have a 
> 'protected' place to operate. Of course that ARRL has no enforcement 
> authority (thank goodness!). The FCC 'blessed' the ARRL's band plan, 
> but I don't believe they ever made it a legal requirement.
>
> BUT everybody wants to pick their own frequency to operate. For 
> instance, the QRP community chose, on 40m, to use 7.040 MHz as their 
> calling frequency. Tuff Tootie! The band plan has, for years, 
> designated (suggested) that 7.040 MHz is a RTTY DX window, 
> specifically because ITU Region's did not coordinate frequency 
> allocations for all parts of the world. The ITU frequency allocations 
> for US/VE DO NOT RULE the world. So we have to do something we really 
> don't like to do, i.e., we have to cooperate (gasp!). And obviously 
> the QRP community did not check the band plan, when decreeing 7.040 
> MHz was to be their 'calling frequency'.
>
> The discussion about the RTTY gang 'should' stay up above x.xxx 
> frequency is very one-sided. Simply because when there is a CW 
> contest, it's for certain that the CW ops are NOT going to honor ANY 
> band plan. It just doesn't work that way. Tit-for Tat!! The same 
> goes, of course, for SSB. Every SSB contest, it never takes very long 
> for the 'old boys network of SSB ops, to raise cain because they were 
> stepped on by 'idiot' SSB contesters, not realizing (admitting) that 
> 'THEIR NET' frequency that they have been using for years, belongs to 
> EVERYBODY.
>
> This discussion has been on-going for years; RTTY has now been 
> included simply because the mode is gaining in popularity. The 
> discussion will continue for years, as long as there is no legal (FCC 
> requirement) for mode/frequency operations. Most likely because all 
> hams have a huge lack of ability to accept change and we are 
> certainly not an adaptable bunch of folks.
>
> Besides that, the bands are open!
>
> Tom - W4BQF
>
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>
>   



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