The issue I believe is that many people’s 160 antennas are limited in frequency
breadth.
There is really just one SSB contest.
On Dec 9, 2013, at 7:55 AM, Roger Parsons <ve3zi@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I agree with the remarks made by others regarding the DX window in the ARRL
> contest.
>
> I have been more concerned for many years about the various phone contests
> which take place on 160m. During those contests phone operation takes place
> right down to the bottom of the band, effectively making any CW operation
> impossible during those weekends. Last year one ssb contest coincided with a
> Dxpedtion to 9U - an exceptionally rare country on 160m. Whilst it is true
> that there are only a few phone contests on the calendar, it is also true
> that there are only a few weekends where exceptional conditions happen,
> particularly during sunspot maxima.
>
>
> Frequency allocations on top band vary from country to country, but it is
> generally true to say that the 'prime real estate' for phone operation is
> from 1830 - 1850 kHz, with the 1810 - 1830 kHz segment being next most
> desirable. Very few countries allow phone (or any) operation below 1810 kHz.
> A significant number of countries (particularly North America) also allow
> operation all the way up to 2 MHz..
>
> Even in the busiest contests it is rare to hear any operation above 1900 kHz.
>
> It would be nice if the regulations were changed (particularly in NA) to
> limit the permissible frequencies for ssb, but I think we all know that will
> never happen.
>
> However, contest organisers can very easily define the allowable frequency
> bands for each individual contest, and as has been mentioned by others this
> is already done for some (particularly European) contests.
>
> I would like to propose that phone contests disallow the use on ssb of any
> frequency below a dial frequency of 1820 kHz. That leaves 8 kHz of
> international frequencies for CW operation whilst still giving the ssb
> contesters 32 kHz of the 'prime real estate' - and 150 kHz of the apparently
> less desirable frequencies above 150 kHz.
>
> I did suggest this on the contest reflector last year and was immediately
> flamed, but I honestly think this would be an attainable and reasonable
> compromise.
>
> 73 Roger
> VE3ZI
> _________________
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>
_________________
Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
|