[Boatanchors] Good advice!

[Glen Zook]

One thing to consider is that on the lower frequencies it is often necessary to use high power to be able to communicate over relative short distances even though much lower power works for stations farther out.

High power is often necessary to communicate over distances using 75 meters or 40 meters than can be covered using 25 watts or less on the 2-meter or 70 cm bands.  Unfortunately, there are quite a few amateur radio operators who use the lower HF frequencies that do not have 2-meter or 70 cm equipment.  Also, a large number of those "round tables" involve stations located over a number of states and the signal levels can vary considerably depending on how far apart those stations are located.

Now I do not usually participate in these "round table" operations.  But, I also hear quite often complaints from stations that do not understand the varying propagation characteristics of the lower bands.  That is those persons do not understand that higher power is often required to cover short distances whereas much lower power does the job on distant stations.

Glen, K9STH

Website:  http://k9sth.com


--- On Sat, 9/13/08, Jim Cundiff <dadofpetie at comcast.net> wrote:

> From: Jim Cundiff <dadofpetie at comcast.net>

I agree, but you forgot to mention that these guys mostly fire up their nuclear reactors to pump out 600 to 1000 W to talk to each other in the next state or county. Tell me, who is the worst operator, the newby who was allowed to walk into an exam session green and walk out an extra class and does not know better or the 'old timer' that knows better and just does what he wants any way? Some of these can't even keep their rigs on freq! Sorry but this is just a rub with me. I have heard too many stations operating off freq recently. Four or five experienced old timers on the same net should be on the same freq.