[Elecraft] ARRL RTTY Roundup

[Vic K2VCO]

WA7CS wrote:

> I was even pushed off of 10.130 (WARC) by an incessant RTTY "CQ TEST".

Any contacts that this fellow made here would certainly not count, since 
the rules specify 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters only.

Anyway, this part of the band is normally used for digital modes, so 
it's likely you would have this problem even if there weren't a contest. 
The QRP calling frequency on 30 meters is 10.106 MHz.

> I wonder what drives the ritty boys to swamp the traditional CW bands and
> wipe out the QRP calling freqs - oh yes, now I remember, the ARRL has deemed
> CW as non-relevant.
> 
> Renewal of my ARRL membership is becoming less and less attractive.

It really has nothing to do with the ARRL, except peripherally in that 
ARRL sponsors 8 contests per year (including VHF contests).

International SSB contests also swamp CW frequencies, and big CW 
contests swamp digital mode frequencies.  The RTTY contest is one of the 
least intrusive; I made numerous CW contacts over the weekend without 
any problems.
-- 
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco

CW operator and ARRL member since 1956