[VHFcontesting] Using limited gear

[Buck Calabro]

> ...operate on frequencies (such as 908 MHz) that 
> nobody else uses, which further impedes their 
> capability to make QSOs with other stations.

This is a very interesting point because it directly bears on my
situation.  I am using 10GHz Gunn (wide band) gear loaned to me.  As I
understand it, the choice of IF is crucial to making contacts with
other wide band gear.

Should I not take out the wide band stuff and not make those contacts
even though there are a very few people I can talk to?  Sure I could
buy narrow band gear off the shelf right now, but She Who Must Be
Obeyed has a little something to say about that.  Especially since I
have a pile of unfinished radio work still to do...

My choices are like me, simple.  I can go out with that loaner gear
and talk to 2 or 3 stations (for sure) and thus use the band, make
points, learn how to point and troubleshoot in the field, er, operate
<grin> , or I can wait and buy/build a narrow band rig to talk to many
more 10g stations.  If I wait, it'll be a couple of years at least
before I get on the high bands again.

What is the benefit to me to wait?

  --buck