[UK-CONTEST] Domineering VHF Contest Stations

[Ron Price]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray James" <gm4cxm at yahoo.co.uk>
To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2009 2:45 PM
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Domineering VHF Contest Stations


>......... Suddenly, even FM and vertical polarisation has a part to play in 
>the search for postal codes. Imagine the reaction of all those M3's and 
>2E0's when they hear 2m or 70cm jump to absolute life for 2.5 hours a month 
>and they're wanted for a very quick exchange!........'

Over the past few years I have regularly participated as a portable entrant 
in many contests from 6m to 70cm, usually as a backpacker on the local 
hills, and I often take a vertical antenna as well as a beam in order to 
work on FM as well as SSB.
In the longer contests this has the advantage of gaining extra 
points/multipliers but has the following slight disadvantages:
(i) Many operators are not contesters and time is needed to explain what is 
needed in the exchange.
(ii) Many do not know their QRA Locator, so it is time consuming taking 
details of their location.
(iii)Out of courtesy I usually find it necessary to exchange names and more 
detail of my location.
(iv)They tend to keep you talking!
(v)More drain on the battery on FM, aggravated by (i) to (iv)!

I find FM very useful in 4m contests because very few stations operate SSB 
but most monitor 70.450MHz so many contacts are normally guaranteed.

Perhaps an FM only contest could be tried?
Or how about double points for FM contacts :-)

Ron, GW4EVX