[VHFcontesting] The Real Reason the "NO .52" rule exists & something to p...

[Jimk8mr at aol.com]

And something else has changed since the days of Glow FETs.  Back  then FM 
radios had solid state devices called "crystals". Often there  were two of 
these for each FM channel, and they cost real money. So most  radios only had 
a few channels, of which 146.52 was very common and  often the only simplex 
channel in the radio.
 
We've come a long way baby. The NO .52 rule is about a generation past its  
reason for being.
 
 
73   -   Jim   K8MR 
 
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 4/28/2012 11:25:44 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
K7XC at charter.net writes:

Not many  know the reason for the "NO .52 Rule" in VHF Contesting...

A very  "Infamous" West Coast VHF Contester told me the reason 
long ago and whle  I'll leave him and him crew anonymous, the story
is simply to delicious not  to pass on...

Back in the day of when all things electronic used "Glow  FETs" (Tubes)
he and his gang operated the June VHF Contest from atop a  very tall 
and equally "Infamous" Mountain in the Bay Area of Northern CA.  

They had in their posession a 1KW Motorola FM transciever  crystaled
up on... you guessed it... 146.52 as it was legal then.  

They were so loud and heard so well they made hundreds of Qs all  up
and down CA and the surounding states and ended up never fired up  
the SSB gear.

Having known the man a long time & after seeing  his pics from 
those days of lore...  I believe him. 

Is what  they did wrong? I dont think so... They saw a advantage that
at the time  was within the rules of the competition and exploited it for 
all it was  worth. That is what winners do... look for a edge and use  it.

However... The outcry from many who were not on top of that hill  was 
huge and later that year the ARRL created the"NO .52" rule in  response.
Move the clock forward 50 years and we are now rethinking  letting
.52 be legal again beacuse of a new "FM ONLY" category? 

If  we are going to revisit this, why not right the injustice of what was 
done  to the ROVER category 20 years ago and revert back to the 
original ROVER  rules as well !?!?!?!?!

AHHHH... that got you thinking didn;'t it! I  can hear the screams
now... Why doesnt he let that go? That is not the  same!, etc etc.... 

I submit to you the following.... The current rules  are what they
are based on all that has transpired before. As they are  now,
while not perfect... THEY WORK! 

What is the old adage? "IF IT  AINT BROKE, DONT FIX IT!!

Leave the "NO.52" rule alone!!!!

Solve  the issue with education as to what frequencies should be 
used... Start a  PR campain NOW to spread the word thru the 
clubs encouraging people to use  their FM rigs WITHIN THE 
EXISTING RULES!  

Print up and supply  handouts to Amateur Radio Stores/Clubs 
with the sale of each new FM rtadio  explaining about the huge 
VHF Activity weekends in Jan, June, July, Aug,  And Sep... 

LEAVE THE DAMN RULES ALONE! ENUF ALEADY!

73s de Tim  - K7XC - DM09nm... sk