[UK-CONTEST] December 432MHz UKAC

[Callum MØMCX]

Sent from my iPhone

On 10 Dec 2009, at 12:59, "Rob Harrison" <robharrison at g8hgn.freeserve.co.uk 
 > wrote:

> Ray,
>
> My QTH is screened to the NW by a 100m hill, which I am 60m up the  
> SE side.
> I have an excellent take off to NE round to W, but then it starts to  
> fall
> off, NNW is the worst QTF. So unfortunately it's difficult to work  
> up that
> way. Most of my contacts seem to be via aircraft scatter, as they  
> are always
> changing in strenght rapidly over the QSO. Not as bad on 144.
>
> KST: I'm not against having info' available to help find stations,  
> i.e.
> cluster spots, But arranging skeds is not contesting in my opinion.  
> If I see
> something come up on the cluster that I need, I'll take my chances  
> with the
> rest, if I work them ok, if not well that's disappointing, but ok  
> too. Until
> last year I didn't have a PC in the shack, so I was blind to all  
> this info'.
> Even if it were allowed, I don't think I'd arrange skeds during the  
> contest,
> I'd find it distracting. When activity is low outside the contest  
> 'KST is a
> great help, and I use it, and we'd probably make it ok at some  
> point. At
> present I feel the only way round this is to have "assisted" &
> "non-assisted" sections, personally I know which I'd chose. In your  
> location
> "assisted" would be the obvious choice.
>
> If it is banned Europe wide I don't think it will deter contesters  
> from
> coming on, they did without it before, and very well. 'KST has it's  
> part to
> play on VHF and above, but during contests it's not necessary, in my
> opinion.
>
> Tin hat on, 73,
>
> Bob G8HGN
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ray James" <gm4cxm at yahoo.co.uk>
> To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 11:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] December 432MHz UKAC
>
>
>
> --- On Wed, 9/12/09, Rob Harrison  
> <robharrison at g8hgn.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Ray,
>> What a shame, you'd be only the 3rd GM from here in 24
>> years operation from this location on 432.
>
> That is a VERY long time to wait Rob.
>
>
> My old friend Ken G8VR in Margate, now SK, mentioned similar when we  
> started
> to work on a regular basis on 1296MHz.
>
> The greatest change that occurred since his previous contacts was the
> invention of the internet. This in time brought about the  
> development of
> numerous attributes including DX-Cluster and the ON4KST chatroom that
> contributes so much to enabling VHF, UHF and Microwave path tests to  
> be
> conducted. Ken and I met up as often as possible on 'KST in the  
> mornings
> when he was well enough to operate and thanks to 'KST we were able to
> arrange a schedule, frequency and transmission/reception periods and  
> conduct
> contact attempts over the air, the majority being successful.
>
> The RSGB Contest Committee unilaterally banned the use of the  
> cluster and
> 'KST for contest use below 23cm a couple of years ago, in fact the  
> contest
> calendar had already started when this decision was made. The reason  
> given
> was "abuse" but nothing was ever provided as proof and contest  
> operators and
> groups in the UK searched and came to the conclusion it was  
> unfounded. Day
> in, day out, even as I write, VHF+ operators are arranging schedules  
> to
> attempt a contact, yet during a contest UK operators who enter an  
> RSGB (not
> IARU) contest are barred from schedule making. I'm totally against  
> anyone
> abusing the system and strongly believe those found doing so should be
> disqualified, as simple as that.
> One of the most damming effects of that ban effected UK stations  
> remotest
> from the centres of activity with no chance of seriously competing  
> to win
> but at least putting their investment into a station to worthwhile  
> use.
> Had Rob been able to use 'KST then I'm sure we'd have made contact  
> and with
> all QSO information passed on 432MHz.
>
> Vienna 2010 is the crux meeting.
> REF, the French society are proposing an IARU Reg 1 ban and using  
> the RSGB
> CC rules as an example. It is with great relief that other societies  
> have
> produced much more sensible proposals, allowing schedules but  
> banning any
> information exchange "off air" and "self spotting" in IARU and IARU  
> member
> organised contests.
>
> I am keeping my fingers crossed that both the REF and RSGB positions  
> get
> shafted and common sense prevails.
>
> 73 Ray GM4CXM
>
>
>
>
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