First, I'm glad to see the discussion--because I think progress can
be made just from discussion.
While Jim and the VUAC have been vague about clearly outlining the
"problem" with 144.200, that may be by design. We've seen remote
areas report in that there is NO problem. I've roved in the
boondocks and I've roved in Metro areas--so I've seen both--"no
problem" and some frustrating behaviors.
If there is an undesired state with 144.200, I see it as two-fold:
1. Casual operators ONLY show up there thinking that's the only place
to
find contacts.
2. "Some" big-gun operators in certain parts of the country sit on
144.200
for the entire contest CQ'ing their lungs out. When challenged, they
cite
"it's a contest and it's the only place I find new contacts". The
problem is that a few big-gun's CQ'ing endlessly near .200 actually
seems to cause some inefficiencies. I can't deny that arrogance and
hoggishness don't sit well with my sense of fairness. (aye, could
that be the rub?)
I don't want or expect rules to change behaviors in this case.
Knowledge and leadership can, however, have a good impact. I feel
clubs in the Upper Midwest have been very helpful at teaching
rational reasons WHY spreading out is better and a few big-guns have
shown leadership leading the way off of .200. Clubs like Northern
Lights Radio Society and Badger Contesters have also shown Rovers how
they will be heard better in the big cities by advertising a freq, in
advance, well up (down) the band.
Northern Lights Radio Society, during it's occasional presentations
to FM groups, teaches and encourages occasional operators to tune
around. I think it's had "some" good effect. We need to keep up that
effort. Maybe that will be one of the upshots of this entire VUAC
effort--education.
In most of WI and MN, some of the big-guns are 10, 15, and 20 KHz
away from .200 because they find stations DO find them. Rovers may
announce on .200, but many Rovers in WI and MN are .170, .160, and
.240 and .250 to find quiet freqs upon which fixed stations in the
noisy metro area can hear them. Pre-advertising before the event
seems to REALLY help.
So I encourage local clubs to continue to educate. I encourage
big-guns to show leadership and move off of .200. I think the state
of affairs is tolerable in WI and MN because of education efforts. I
suspect things would be worse if we had not tried.
In northern Illinois there is a large multi-op that camps on .200 all
weekend CQ'ing endlessly. They refuse to work me up the band when
I'm roving. So I refuse to work them on .200. I know, I'll never
really educate them :-) . I wonder if I'm the only one who refuses
to work them on .200?
Thoughts? What do you see as undesireable behaviors on 144.200?
What do you see as solutions? Are education and leadership part of
those solutions?
Thanks,
Bruce Richardson W9FZ
Come to the Central States VHF Society 40th
Conference in Minneapolis on July 27-30, 2006!
Info at www.csvhfs.org
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