Topband: DX window

Wed Dec 31 09:45:32 EST 2003

Jon (AA1K)

I respect your views but, yours is not representative of an "average"
station. You can almost "see" Europe from there!

I like the DX window for several reasons but the main one is that it gives
DX (regardless of how you define it) a spot in the band to find clear air.
Many of the DX stations I have worked in contests would never have been
heard if not in that part of the band. Because US stations were not in it it
gave a few Khz free from NA signal's.

Now, are there problems with how DX is defined? Sure. But whats easy for us
(ZF, TI etc) is not so easy for others so in my opinion just define DX as
anything but continental North America (obviously I worded it this way to
include VEs).

Indeed I have worked my share of DX by cruising the bands but, it is nice to
catch the rare weak one which I would have only heard in the window. Plus,
and I like this too, it gives me a place to quickly scan during a contest to
see if any DX has shown up! Great for a contest but not needed for daily
DXing.

My vote, as if it mattered, is leave it as it was from 1830 to 1835 and as a
gentlemen's agreement. It never seems to matter whether its in the contest
rules or not as I nave never heard of anyone being disqualified for
"breaking" the rule per the organizers.

Ron
N4XD

-----Original Message-----
From: topband-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:topband-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Jon Zaimes AA1K
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 2:39 AM
To: jbattin; topband at contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: DX window

There's nothing in the CQ contest rules about not CQing in the "window."
They just say it should be used for intercontinental QSOs only:
http://cq-amateur-radio.com/160%20Contest%20Rules%202004%20111503.pdf

There's nothing in the ARRL contest rules about not CQing in the "window."
They just say it should be used for intercontinental QSOs only:
http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2003/160-Meters.html

If no one called CQ, how would anyone make any contacts?

For stations on other continents, W/VE is the DX! So why shouldn't we CQ
here too to attact DX (but not answer any domestic calls nor North American
DX, to abide by the rules). The Europeans who are elbow-to-elbow CQing in
the "window" somehow are able to hear all the U.S. stations calling THEM, so
what is the point of having a window? They could be doing this anywhere in
the band.

I personally feel a "window" is a waste of space and should be eliminated.
The "state of the art" -- improved receivers, transmitters, and antennas --
makes transceive operation the most practical and spectrum-efficient use of
the band.

Very few of my DX contacts in contests in recent years have been made in the
"DX Window."  But I still seem to work quite a bit of DX -- including things
in the Pacific right through W5/W6/W7/W8/W9/W0 QRM.

I'd rather have that 5 kHz to help everyone spread out just a wee bit more
to alleviate the general QRM.

73 and HNY,
Jon AA1K

.At 05:15 PM 12/30/03, you wrote:
>I believe there are few problems with the way it is now .... VE and W/K can
>call in the window ... just not CQ.  It is so handy to be able to zip up
>into the window and see how loud the DX is, and by that judge if a detailed
>S&P is warrented. Forcing Dx to listen outside the window would be a big
>mistake .... The QRM would be terrible. Like 75 meters in a SSB contest ...
>When the DX says listening on 3840 you transmit there no matter who you
QRM.
>I like the idea of moving it down as it would solve the Left vs Right
>friction. Europe and Japan are open at different times so it would probably
>work fine. The big problem will be to change something that is as fragile
as
>the current "Window".
>John
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tom Baugh" <tombaugh at discoverynet.com>
>To: "jbattin" <jbattin at msn.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 5:26 AM
>Subject: Re: Topband: DX window
>
>
>> John,
>> I'm in favor of it as well and honor it to a fault but the issue is "who
>is
>> the DX"?
>> If you're in US.. non US is DX if you're in EU Non EU is DX there needs
to
>> be  a better plan like NA doesn't call in 1830-35 and EU doesn Call in
>35-40
>> or some such thing. Otherwise nobody can call..
>>
>> Tom
>> AE9B
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "jbattin" <jbattin at msn.com>
>> To: "Ron Feutz" <feutz at wctc.net>; <topband at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Monday, December 29, 2003 1:27 PM
>> Subject: Re: Topband: DX window
>>
>>
>> > Although it does not solve problems everywhere, I do not know why is so
>> > hard for Stateside and Canada not to call CQ in the 30-35 window. It is
>> > great to have one place on the band where the DX is not under a CQ'er.
>> Over
>> > the week-end there were numerous times a DX station was calling CQ on
or
>> > close to a US CQ'er and when I would call the DX, the CQ'er would go
>crazy
>> > with QRL. I think it is natural to lose a CQ frequency from time to
time
>> in
>> > favor of giving the DX station a break. We should re-enforce the 30-35
>> > window while it is still common practice.
>> > John K9DX
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Ron Feutz" <feutz at wctc.net>
>> > To: <topband at contesting.com>
>> > Sent: Monday, December 29, 2003 11:03 AM
>> > Subject: Re: Topband: DX window
>> >
>> >
>> > > Not sure how anything you say applies.  It is expected, and has been
>> > common
>> > > practice forever, for NA stations to call and work DX on their
calling
>> > > frequency in the window, unless the DX specifies otherwise.  No one
>has
>> > > suggested that the FCC mandate a window.  It has always been by
>> > Gentlemen's
>> > > Agreement.
>> > >
>> > > At 10:36 AM 12/29/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>> > > >First of all, the key is if DX CQ's in the "window"
>> > > >they have to QSX OUT of the window.
>> > > >
>> > > >Secondly, the FCC will never mandate a "DX window."
>> > > >
>> > > >Good DX  on 160 to all in 2004!
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >At 11:32 PM 12/28/2003, you wrote:
>> > > >>Topbanders,
>> > > >>
>> > > >>A window is absolutely vital to me.  Under usual conditions, with
>the
>> > > >>auroral oval cutting off most EU and JA DX, I need a place to go
and
>> see
>> > > >>if anything is coming thru.  In the Stew, US stations for the most
>> part
>> > > >>stayed out of the old window, 1830-35, and it was pretty useful for
>> > > >>me.  I did ask one US station to move, as he was calling CQ on top
>of
>> a
>> > > >>G.  I quickly explained this and he answered OK SRI.
>> > > >>
>> > > >>All the debate over who is DX is just a bunch of blah blah blah to
>> > > >>me.  Why can't we just go back to the Gentlemen's Agreement and
>leave
>> > > >>that chunk of band for non-NA stations to CQ in?
>> > > >>
>> > > >>73,
>> > > >>
>> > > >>Ron - WA9IRV
>> > > >>
>> > > >>
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