Topband: ARRL 160 conditions

[N1BUG]

> I was going to ask Wayne off-list about that statement. The more I have
> learned the more I realize I don't know. My guess was that he might know
> or observe something that others of us have missed somehow. Now that the
> question is on the list...I would like to know, too. Why would we want
> to transmit anywhere at all other than where the calling station is
> listening? I think split operation is for DX pileups...not contests.
> Maybe that's my error.

Hi Bill,

I stand corrected. Evidently they were talking about 50-75 Hz to 
avoid being EXACTLY zero beat with other callers. That much can be 
useful. 100+ gets into a gray area, over 200 is usually going to be 
trouble in ARRL 160, IMO. At 100 Hz up or down I will have to tune 
to hear a caller, but at least I have some chance of pulling him out 
from under my adjacent running station.

I've just received a private email from a west coast contester who 
says it is a different world out there, wide open spaces on the 
band. That is enlightening. I wish it were that way here.

I got an email from a perturbed contester one year asking why I did 
not answer him. He needed Maine for WAS. I said I never heard him 
but I would be happy to sked him. On the sked I found him 400 Hz 
above my frequency. I have no idea if he had been that far off 
during the contest, but if he was I can tell you why I didn't hear 
him. There was another contester running 250 Hz up and he was well 
over S9. Why would I look for people calling me above the adjacent 
guy's pile?

By the way I don't run a skimmer but I believe I am able to get 
within 10 to 20 Hz of the stations I call. If anyone has evidence to 
the contrary, PLEASE let me know as it means something is wrong here 
and needs to be corrected.

OK, more than enough out of me on this subject.

73,
Paul N1BUG