[VHFcontesting] Re: Is this a QSO?

[Zack Widup]

On Mon, 21 Apr 2003, Christopher Boone wrote:

> IRLP ONLY provides a wireline link between RF systems...ECHOlink
> and others DO NOT as they allow PCs to talk directly between
> each other and on to the air...(which I have serious problems
> with...regardless of how "secure" they say they are...but they
> aren't!!!)
> 
> IRLP still requires EACH user to be on HAM RADIO...YES that is a
> valid contact....but it merely LINKs radio or rptr systems
> together...the END user is still on their own radio..NOT a PC!
> (again, unlike ECHO or other VoIP systems)..
> 

It may be a valid "contact" but it doesn't count for some awards.  For
DXCC, VUCC, etc. the QSO has to be directly by RADIO entirely - antenna to
antenna by RF propagation.  No computers in the middle. And repeater QSO's
don't count for VUCC.

> Your 900Mhz to TELCO to 900MHz call is NOT as it is a Part15 unit....and not used as a Part97 radio....
> OH you could argue a gray area...but lets get real...its NOT
> how IRLP is set up....

It really doesn't matter what kind of equipment you use to make the QSO -
commercial, homebrew or modified Part 15 equipment; if it's in a ham band
and the QSO is made directly from antenna to antenna, it's OK.  There is
nothing in the rules that specify what kind of equiopment you use.  We are
the only radio service that doesn't require type-accepted equipment.  

Quite a few QSO's have been made in the past with military surplus gear.
Take another look at the rules.

73, Zack W9SZ

> 
> Chris
> WB5ITT
> -------Original Message-------
> From: John Geiger <johngeig at yahoo.com>
> Sent: 04/21/03 11:02 AM
> To: vhf at w6yx.stanford.edu, vhfcontesting at contesting.com
> Subject: Is this a QSO?
> 
> > 
> > Since people refer to contacts via Echolink or IRLP as
> "QSO", and I think that the ARRL will count them for
> the first contact award, the rag chewers club, and the
> friendship award, I am wondering if the following
> would also count.
> 
> I have a cordless phone that operates on 904.7 MHZ FM,
> which is in the 33cm band.  If I work another ham who
> is also using a cordless phone in the 33cm band, (or a
> 2.4G model) and we both give callsigns-is it a "QSO".
> Propagation was involved in getting the signal from
> the handset to the base unit-with wires in between
> each base unit.  Seems very similar to how IRPL is set
> up.
> 
> 73s JOhn NE0P