Topband: ARRL 160m contest and DX Window?

[Tim Shoppa]

As to the ARRL 160 being "sweepstakes for 160", I personally find I net
more USA/Canada QSO's in ARRL 160 than I ever do during sweepstakes. I'm
sure many DX don't see the point, but there's no denying it is a very
popular ARRL contest that stirs up a lot of 160M activity.

I was impressed with very good behavior on the "gentleman's band" in CQWWCW
on 160M. I had come from the other bands where bedlam and incessant calling
was very common and it's like night and day.

Tim N3QE

On Mon, Dec 1, 2014 at 11:55 AM, Herbert Schoenbohm <
herbert.schoenbohm at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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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