[AMRadio] Rally Question

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Mon, Feb 4, 2019 at 7:30 PM Ron.K3PID <ron.k3pid at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> I had fun and made a few contacts in the rally but got real frustrated.
> Maybe it was just my area but it seems a few big guns sort of took over the
> AM  frequencies between 7280 and 7295 and ran a sort of roundtable nets
> passing exchange info back and forth among “check-ins”!


That was actually an approach used by many of us during the Heavy Metal
Rally years ago, after the phone expansion. Rather than just one so-called
'AM Frequency' though, there were numerous (6-10) groups on 75-80m as well
as 40 and 160. This allowed stations to join, work a number of stations,
and move on. I don't recall any one station serving as 'net control' for
more than an hour or so. The biggest advantage was for lower-powered
stations who had trouble being heard, as well as those unable or afraid to
find a clear frequency and call CQ. It was actually an act of courtesy
then, as the big guns could've just talked to whomever they chose and
ignored the pissweakers. It sounds like things have changed.

So if a station is on 7290 and wide enough that I can copy him from 7285 to
> 7295 what am I suppose to do?
>

Simple: move. Go find a clear spot and call CQ. Don't worry about hangin'
wif da crowd. Go start your own group and increase the possibilities. Who
or what is stopping you? Find a clear spot - near or far - away from the
noise and operate. Others will find you. Or simply announce it while you're
on whatever frequency then move.


> When the digital guys have a contest they use all available band space as
> do the CW guys.


Well, corntesters tend to use any and all frequencies - even those in use
by rag chewers.


> Why are the AMers restricted to a small band? Shouldn’t we be able to use
> any phone frequency that is not in use?
>

It's called self-imposed segregation. We are indeed allowed to operate AM
anywhere phone is permitted unless restricted by the FCC. Problem is, too
few people are willing to spread out and operate outside of the imaginary
AM Window nonsense. A few years back a number of us on the eastern seaboard
operated regularly on 3.705, 3.710, 15, 20, 3.725 (the Canadian AM calling
frequency), 30 and so on. On 40m we moved back down the 7.160 which was an
old AM haunt decades ago.

Times change, life gets busy, and the core group that was on then isn't
around as much these days. And aside from some occasional activity on 3.705
or 3.733 some afternoons, activity has dried up. The herd mentality has
taken over again and folks seem to prefer to channelize themselves into a
tiny slice of spectrum. Even before the phone expansion there were stations
like WA3PUN SK who operated away from the AM ghetto on 75m, choosing
instead the area around 3.820.

I still remember one regular poster on AMfone complaining years ago about a
lack of activity. When I asked him why he didn't find a clear frequency and
call CQ his response was "I'm not very good at calling CQ".

Really? Maybe some practice would help?

~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4