Topband: ARRL 160m contest and DX Window?

[Herbert Schoenbohm]

I guess if we are to take the rules as written anyone can park in the so 
call "DX window and endlessly call CQ Europe".  The idea of working 
split in a contest would result in further problems and QRM and as such 
is a non-starter.  it is better to be able to hear and deal with 
properly what ever is taking place on the frequency you are using.

For some in the Caribbean an intercontinental QSO could be a station 250 
miles or less to the south in Venezuela.  I really think the whole 
concept came about for regular DX-ing on TB for NA to EU/AF dxing and 
not for contests per se where these "rules" make no sense at all due to 
to their ambiguity.

Tom also said "This contest already discourages DX, and is more like a 
USA based thing like sweepstakes....."  This is so true to the obvious 
point  that many Eu's just ignore the sweepstakes styled bedlam that 
exists with it.  The ARRL CAC has for years been petitioned to make the 
rules more DX friendly.  But as long as HQ has this ivy covered 
mentality and the inner sanctum controls the process and not the CAC, 
any correction will be slow to ever occur. The CAC must be first tasked 
with an objective determined by the inner sanctum with their ever 
present establishment refusal to change anything brought to them by the 
members. Can you imagine a successful TB  contest where KH8 and KH2 cont 
the same as Hawaii? Or even worse where KP2 counts the same as KP1? What 
is it about this that the highly salaried  ARRL nabobs do not get?


Herb Schoenbohmn, KV4FZ


On 12/1/2014 12:24 PM, Tom W8JI wrote:
>> The ARRL 160 meter contest is this weekend. I know there has been a 
>> lot of
>> controversy in the past about the 1830 to 1835 segment (the so-called 
>> "DX
>> Window").
>>
>> I understand that if I am in the USA, the right thing to do is to NOT 
>> park
>> in that window and call CQ (but I can answer a CQ from a DX station on
>> another continent or island). The rule at http://www.arrl.org/160-meter
>> simply states "*6.1. *The segment 1.830 to 1.835 should be used for
>> intercontinental QSOs only."
>
> The rules are vague, but common sense and good manners seem to dictate 
> not parking in the window and calling CQ or running contacts. This way 
> other stations in poorer locations or with smaller stations could have 
> more fun, and more DX might show up.
>
> Usually well equipped or located stations have no problem running DX 
> out of that area, so I assume most who park there are little pistols 
> who only hurt other fellow little pistols.
>
> (This contest already discourages DX, and is more like a USA based 
> thing like sweepstakes, so the more we encourage DX operation by 
> making more states or sections available for the DX to work the better 
> for everyone.)
>
> 73 Tom
> _________________
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