[UK-CONTEST] Decline in 2m contest activity

[Peter Hobbs]

Well, everyone seems to be having their two pennorth on this one - haven't 
seen so much activity on here for ages, so why should I be left out?  Here's 
mine . . .

This so-called ethical debate (chatrooms, etc.) is really about whether it's 
appropriate to use a separate "order wire" when setting up a radio path, 
something that's been part of the stock-in-trade of the professional comms 
engineer from the mists of time.  This will always be a perfectly valid 
means of establishing a potentially marginal circuit in the normal course of 
business, although some might opine that there are traditional methods 
available to the amateur operator which are almost as good, such as 
monitoring beacons, etc.

Where we have to draw the line is when the competitive element is 
introduced.  I fully support the decision by the RSGB to exclude the use of 
non-radio bearers during contests.  Whether other countries decide to allow 
these is entirely irrelevant - the resulting activity has then become 
something other than a radio contest (which people can get involved in if 
they wish of course, as long as the difference is clearly understood and the 
two aren't mixed up in the same event).

We should also draw a distinction between the use of external order wires 
and innovations such as SO2R,  wide-band recording, Skimmer, etc., which are 
natural and inevitable developments in the state of the art and do not rely 
upon any external assistance.  Do we outlaw diversity reception?   People 
who argue against these things are simply those who are unwilling to take 
the trouble to understand and use them.

On the question of VHF activity in the UK and it's recent inevitable 
decline, the reasons for this have already been identified here and there's 
probably nothing further that could, or needs to be said or done. 
Geography is unlikely to change as far as the the British Isles are 
concerned.  There will always remain the thrill of experiencing the 
occasional lift (highlights such as QSOs with CT3 and the Baltic states on 
2m), but how often do we see those?  Most V/UHF competitive events will, by 
definition, be disappointing and are only likely to appeal to some special 
interest groups, now that the greener fields are open to all.  Accusing some 
people of "not understanding" V/U/SHF is clutching at straws.  The fact is, 
these bands are never going to be able to stand on their own merits when 
compared with the lower frequencies, i.e. they only support direct wave and 
extended LOS working for most of the time and nothing is going to change 
that.  I think the situation that has been mentioned (with surprise!) within 
EI illustrates this rather well.

Never mind, I have broad shoulders . . .

73
Peter G3LET