Topband: Stew Beef

[Jim Brown]

On Sun,1/3/2016 11:02 AM, K4OWR wrote:
> I've never noticed any amount of activity, specifically on 160, on a 
> non contest weekend, that would be impacted since there typically is 
> hardly any...again, specifically on 160 meters. 

There's a segment about 5 kHz wide that is quite active 7 nights a week 
with three of K1JT's digital modes -- WSPR (the one-way propagation 
monitor), JT65 and JT9, both of which are used for 2-way, weak signal 
work. The segment runs from about 1838 kHz to about 1843 kHz. On a 
typical evening, there's more JT65 and JT9 activity in that 5 kHz than 
in the rest of the band combined. Contests make a mess of that segment, 
just as they do with comparable segments in the HF bands. I occasionally 
use JT65 and JT9 when I'm not contesting. They have their uses, require 
different skills, and can be fun.

But I view contests exactly as Tree has articulated -- they tend to make 
it easier to work DX because there's much more DX on the air, and it's 
often possible to work contest expeditions on the days before and after.

73. Jim K9YC