You know...it's hard enough to try the Sprint with CT not supporting the
contest, NA not working with my DVP, and Tree's program having not yet
arrived in the mail, and me without a voice to use. (Been pretty hoarse
for three weeks!) Let alone trying to operate on 80, 40, and 20 with
noting but a 160 meter wire. BUT...worse than all those things is the
rediculous crap you have to contend with from those guys on 75 meters.
There was one guy who called "CQ SPRINT" until we would answer him, then
he injected his own "jamming" on the frequency for fun. This is, in my
opinion, substantially worse than just simply QRM'ing us in the first
place. There was also a bunch on 3853 that claimed to "OWN" the
frequency way up and down the band. I would listen at about 3855.5 OR
HIGHER for several minutes hearing no activity. Then, when a contester
would get on the frequency, these guys would immediately race to tell the
contester off. I heard it time-after-time. There is no way we could
have been within their passbands and bothering them to the extent that it
was a problem for them. To tell the truth, I guess they got from me what
they are after. They completely ruined any fun I may find in the Sprint
(which is certainly NOT one of my favorites anyway), and deterred me from
desiring to compete in the phone Sprint again.
A couple of years ago, I recorded some guys on 10 meters who constantly
QRM'ed others and used frequent vulgar language and obscenities. I
figured it would go for naught, but sent it to the ARRL/FCC anyway. Half
a year later (or so), I read about the guys. The FCC nailed 'em hard
with confiscations of equipment, fines, and potential sentences. I felt
that justice was served. I'm sure that many people have voiced their
displeasure at those goofballs to the authorities, and perhaps enough
squeeks get the grease. These kinds of people do not deserve to be radio
amateurs, and they give everyone in the hobby a bad name.
I would only hope that these bunches on 75 meters come to their senses.
You often think the FCC has lost its teeth, or no longer cares...but once
in a while they pop up and bite somebody right in the rear-end.
For all the good this post will do, I might as well sign up for a ride in
the Fish Head gas balloon at Dayton this sSpring, but nonetheless -t
makes me feel better now that I have had my say.
It's easy to see why I have always been empassioned with CW for the
last 35 years, and have lost my desk mike for over a year at a time,
even as recently as 1993. My hat goes off to all you highly-skilled and
courteous hams that make up the ranks of contesters. I think it to be
the finest group of amateurs I have ever had the pleasure to join.
Steve / AA9AX
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