[UK-CONTEST] CQWW 2004

[Les Allwood]

"At the risk of raising a somewhat contentious issue (who me?), should the 
RSGB be seen to be actively encouraging the breaking of the agreed Region 1 
Bandplan?"



I think that Colin has raised a very important issue here. Whilst everybody 
seems to agree that it happens in major contests, and some feel that they 
"have the right" so to do when the band is busy, the RSGB is in a unique 
situation. For the short contest calls it is in effect the licensing 
authority and, as such, cannot be seen to be condoning the deliberate 
flouting of "rules" to which it is a signatory. Whilst people using their 
own callsign can act in accordance with their conscience (or not), those 
exercising the privileges of the short contest calls are acting as 
ambassadors for the RSGB.



 "Perhaps adherence to relevant band plans should be a condition attached to
RSGB issued contest calls"



Whilst making adherence to the band plans a condition of use of a short 
contest call would, by itself, make little difference to the global scale of 
the problem, it would at least send a clear message to the world-wide 
contesting community. If it was then followed up by the RSGB HFCC 
threatening, and imposing, sanctions against ALL transgressors in 
RSGB-sponsored contests, the message would spread further. Maybe the RSGB 
could then hold the "moral high ground" and urge CQ (and others) to make 
similar rules for their contests.



"One VERY important point to note before everyone starts firing both barrels 
of their respective guns...  The GM in question was actually transmitting on 
7103kHz"



Nobody actually specified a callsign, but the GM I heard at around 1700 on 
Sunday was definitely transmitting on 7023 for a protracted period!!! Or 
maybe he was on 7103 and has really bad spurii .



 "And in the CQWW CW Contest, 40m contest activity invariably extends close 
to 7.1MHz. Do the SSB guys complain?"



This is a red herring. The discussion is about breaches of the band plan. 
The 40m band plan clearly states "and CW" all the way up to 7100.



"The only comment I would add is that doing something so noticeable gives 
ammunition to the non-contesters to whinge about"



Exactly!!!



73 de Les, G3VQO