[Hallicrafters] RE:Contests/kCertificates/Lunacy

[Glen Zook]

The problem with contests has been around since long
before I was licensed (1959 onward).  Frankly, I have
never found during any contest that I could not
operate if I didn't want to participate.  Usually the
higher end of each band is relatively free from
contest operation.

What often happens is that someone's "favorite"
frequency is occupied by someone participating in a
contest and they have to "move".  Well, no one owns
any particular frequency.

Also, the WARC bands are generally free from
contesting.  In fact, all of the major contests forbid
operating on the WARC bands.  In addition, there are
very few contests that involve CW and SSB at the same
time.  At least any of the major contests.  Just
operate on CW during the SSB contests and on SSB
during the CW contests.

The VHF contests are usually an exception to this rule
since both CW and SSB are normally allowed at the same
time.  But, considering the total spectrum available
on the VHF and UHF bands, and also considering that
the actual activity level is usually much lower except
during the contests, this does not present any real
problem.  In addition, FM repeaters, repeater
frequencies, and the "normal" FM simplex frequencies
are also not allowed in most, but not all, VHF
contests.

Although I used to operate in virtually all of the
major contests I don't anymore (have "placed" very
well in them over the years).  But, I don't begrudge
those who like to operate in them.  Usually there are
a lot more people participating in one of the major
contests (not a local "party", etc.) than are
operating "normally".  With the "pile ups", etc.,
there are actually fewer frequencies involved than
would be if everyone was involved in a separate QSO.

Frankly, with several thousand amateurs working a
major contest and only a hundred, or two, if that
many, operating normally, contest operating actually
conserves spectrum.

Glen, K9STH

 
--- Greg Schindler <gschndlr at dgweb.com> wrote:

Why can't contesting be restricted to particular band segments.

=====
Glen, K9STH

Web sites

http://home.comcast.net/~k9sth
http://home.comcast.net/~zcomco
Contributing Editor Collins Journal

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