I think there is a few things that need to also be taken into account.
A bandplan is designed for *normal* band loading. Clearly, when there is a
contest on, we are NOT dealing with normal band loading.
As has been noted, antenna bandwidth is part of the issue.
Phone contests will take up two weekends out of the year on Topband.
What happens when there is a CW contest? We move up the band to accomodate
the extra activity... With a phone contest, with folks using <1Khz
spacing, every little of extra space helps. So yes - folks DO move down
into the CW part of the band.
But - I cannot help but wonder - why would someone plan a DXpedition (much
planning involved), and NOT take a 160 phone contest into consideration? I
have seen some DXpeditions go to the WARC bands if there is a major contest
on when they are on. Or - they operate the other mode (operate CW when
there is a phone contest on, and vice versa). Could a DXpedition not stay
off 160 for the weekend they are there (assuming they are not there FOR the
contest), and focus on 80 meters instead? Not EVERY serious DXer is on
160, and I am sure more than a few of them would appreciate the extra
attention (a weekends worth) to their favorite band/mode/whatever as the
DXpedition does not operate on Topband.
Just "seems odd" to me.
Tom - VE3CX
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On Sun, Feb 28, 2016 at 10:22 AM, Roger Parsons via Topband <
topband@contesting.com> wrote:
> I enjoy contests but...
>
>
> This weekend has seen the CQ 160m SSB Contest. It has also seen CW
> activity or attempted activity from a number of extremely rare DX entities.
>
> Why is it reasonable or even acceptable for the band to be full of SSB
> contesters from 1800kHz to about 1960kHz? The vast majority of contacts
> made in the contest are same continent, and in the case of NA could and
> should all comply with the band plan. Why is the CW part of the band full
> of SSB whereas the top (phone) end of the band is almost empty?
>
>
> I have previously suggested to the contest administrators at both CQ and
> ARRL that they set in the contest rules a lower operational limit of
> 1820kHz dial frequency. That would give contesters 23kHz of the 'prime'
> international frequencies between 1810kHz and 1840kHz, and a total 183kHz
> for many countries. The CW DX operators would have 7kHz internationally.
> Neither CQ nor ARRL have treated this suggestion seriously, nor come up
> with any alternative.
>
> Why not?
>
> 73 Roger
> VE3ZI
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