[UK-CONTEST] RSGB contests

[Dave Lawley]

Hi Stuart and Ian

There is no such thing as an SSTV segment of 80m. 3735 is shown in the 
bandplan as a centre of activity for Image transmissions which these 
days seem to include DRM transmissions. There are also centres of 
activity for QRP and for emergency comms. None of these implies that a 
10kHz swath of the band must be kept clear of all contest and other 
traffic at all times, though obviously in the case of an emergency the 
area around 3760 would be kept clear of activity, contest or otherwise.

Yes we must observe the bandplans, but beyond that no-one has a right to 
a frequency whether it is for a net, a ragchew, special event, 
DXpedition, contest or any other type of activity. I've heard the 
comment several times that a contester checks a frequency on 80, finds 
it clear, asks is it in use and gets no reply, makes a few QSOs and then 
gets clobbered by a loud SSTV or DRM signal. This is usually someone not 
interested in a QSO, but just trying to chase contest activity away. 
That's deliberate QRM.

73, Dave G4BUO


Stuart M0RXX wrote:
> As a newish licence holder, there was me thinking that the Band Plans  
> that the RSGB publish yearly were the Holy Grail of operating to be  
> kept to, to find that in the CC we wipe out another segment is totally  
> wrong and the RSGB Contest Committee Should change the segments used.  
> Why should we wipe out SSTV they are intitled to there segment as too  
> are all the other segment users. The CW brigade would soon be up in  
> arms if an SSB Contest was held in 3.5 Mhz segment. Keep to the  
> Segments that is why the RSGB and others agreed them.
> Here endith my moan.
> 
> 73
> Stuart Southern.
> Sent from my iPhone.
> First Aid Saves Lives.
> My Call Sign: M0RXX
> Radio Amateur.
> 
> On 28 Apr 2010, at 10:48, Ian Maude <ian at gb7mbc.net> wrote:
> 
>> Hi all,
>> The recent posts regarding PSK vs RTTY etc have re-ignited one of my  
>> long
>> held beliefs that we create an anti-contest feeling by operating in
>> preferred mode segments.  For example, in the SSTV segment of 80m in  
>> the
>> club calls.  This causes much anger and anti-contest feeling.
>> Is it about time that the RSGB took this seriously and protected these
>> segments by simply removing them from the contest frequencies that are
>> allowed?  Obviously if it is a SSB contest, we will be operating in  
>> the SSB
>> section of the band but is it right to transmit in the SSTV  
>> segment?  Just
>> because other modes are used by few people should not be an excuse to
>> obliterate their area of operation!
>> The only way we can improve non-contesters opinions of the contesting
>> community is for the contest organisers to remove those portions of  
>> the
>> bands that would cause issues from the contest.  Any contacts made  
>> in these
>> sections would not count towards the total scored and people simply  
>> would
>> not operate there.
>>
>> 73 Ian
>>
>> -- 
>> Ian J Maude, G0VGS
>> SysOp GB7MBC & HB9DRV-9 DX Clusters
>> Member RSGB, GQRP 9838, FISTS 14077 | K3 #455
>> http://www.amateurradiotraining.org