[UK-CONTEST] Bandplans and SSB contests

[Doug Roberts]

Hi Steve,

Those who downloaded (or read on the web) the rules for the 2004 CQ WPX will
have seen the following on the front page:

"III. Bands: The 1.8, 3.5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 MHz bands may be used. No WARC
bands allowed. Observance of established band plans is strongly encouraged."

The last sentence was in bold type.

I have no axe to grind, but the 40m band, being so narrow (for a little
longer yet) has always suffered the most from 'flexibility' in respect of
contests.  When the CW contest leg comes along, the QRPers in the upper part
of the 40m CW segment will get a further hammering from QRO CW up to around
7050 - so, apart from it being the immediate problem, why single out SSB
contests for special mention?

73,
Doug G0WMW



----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Rawlings" <steve at alg.demon.co.uk>
To: "UK Contest Group" <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2004 7:03 PM
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Bandplans and SSB contests


| Hi All
|
| As a constructor of QRP HF equipment, I enjoy ragchewing on 40 and 80m
with
| my homemade station.  I also take part in contests.  I find that the
| competitive side of our hobby provides a good focus for improving my
| operating skills -- as well as providing additional motivation for
| improving my station equipment.
|
| But some contests have their 'down side' too.  This past weekend, a large
| number of SSB contesters gave the QRPers in the upper part of the 40m CW
| segment a jolly good hammering.  They're a soft target, I suppose.
|
|  From correspondence of a few years ago, I understood that contest
| committees for the major world-wide contests were quite happy to let the
| entrants to their SSB events ignore national and international bandplans.
| This policy continues to give contests a bad image, and each major SSB
| contest generates a significant amount of bad feeling between the 'win at
| all costs' participants in SSB contests, and those who simply want to
| operate their preferred mode within the agreed bandplans.
|
| I'd be interested to know whether there is _any_ support within the
| UK contesting community for the organisers of world-wide SSB contests to
| include 'CW friendly' and 'data friendly' clauses within the rules for
| their events.
|
| (I don't know whether this matter is 'off-topic' -- if so, it would
| probably be better to send your reply direct to me at
steve at alg.demon.co.uk)
|
|
| Regards to all,
| Steve GW4ALG
|
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