[UK-CONTEST] AFS - operating out of band

[Alex GM3ZBE]

Dave,
I can sympathise with the position but the fact remains its a question 
of interpretation, the problem lies with the implication that the 3650 
to 3700 segment is not "Contest preferred".  I know its easy for me to 
find a job for someone else to do but I would have thought that via the 
RSGB/DARC/IARU this ongoing hassle could be resolved.  I.e. a general 
recommendation that contest operation in the 3650 -3700 segment is 
ALLOWED or NOT ALLOWED as the case may be?
Alex

Dave Lawley wrote:
> Yes Alex but what do you propose as the solution? We cannot go right 
> up to 3800 because there will be people wanting to work DX. I was on 
> the Committee when the phrase 'contest preferred' was agreed in IARU 
> Region 1 and it was deliberately chosen by G6LX, so that it would not 
> be mandatory. Some Germans have interpreted it that way but they are 
> wrong. Clearly there will be contest activity from 3650-3700 in major 
> contests such as CQWW, and in terms of activity our 4-hour AFS is 
> major as well. Most of the UK doesn't have propagation into EU for the 
> whole 4 hours anyway.
>
> I think we have done as much as we can, by sticking to the contest 
> preferred segments for the 80m CC but to do that for AFS would lead to 
> even worse overcrowding. We have to stick to the word 'preferred' and 
> realise that this does not forbid contest activity outside of those 
> segments.
>
> Cheers, Dave G4BUO