[UK-CONTEST] CQWW 160 SSB

[Gerry Lynch]

On 27/02/2011 21:03, Peter Day wrote:
> While I had a few hours myself in the test, I also had
> a Sunday lunchtime SSB sked with a VK on 14.118 (with 14.125 as an
> alternative if QRM lower). It was impossible to get through to him on
> either frequency.

They were obeying the bandplan.  Go and read the bandplan.  Think about 
why they bandplan is written the way it is.

Anyway, was there anything wrong with the 225 kHz of 20m above 14.125?  
Was every possible frequency congested?  Was there wall to wall QRM?  
Anything wrong with sending a quick e-mail or text or instant message 
saying "118 and 125 covered with CW contest crud, try 14.310 +/- QRM"?  
What do you do if two non-contest QSOs are going on on .117 and .124, 
for example?

One's radio has a big tuning knob in the middle for a reason.

Yes, the CW end of 40m and 160m are a problem in ARRL SSB, CQWW SSB and 
CQ 160 SSB, although not really otherwise.  That could be mitigated by 
having hard band limits at 7.020 and 1.820.  I've operated non-contest 
CW on 40m at peak times on ARRL SSB weekend before, and never had a 
problem finding a frequency in the bottom 10 kHz, either due to too many 
CW stations being QRV or due to contest QRM.  I've always found it easy, 
actually.

If people really don't have space for a CW QSO, it's a problem.  If they 
do have space, then they need to just go and use it instead of making a 
fetish for policing the band plan.  We are not supposed to be CBers 
perpetually hanging out on the same breaker channel.

73

Gerry Gi0RTN