HI Steve,
I some parts of the country, six meters is it. The higher bands
including 144 are so sparsely populated that they pray to the propagation
Gods and even provide offerings to the deities, so that the band will open
and they can have some fun. I am not sure, but I think this June fell into
the "fun" category for most in other parts of the country than where you
live. Wanting to remove 50 MHz from the mix ain't gonna happen for that
reason. I look at the contests as being different in their own right. June
is a six meter affair. Es can be rampant. September plays to the higher
bands, while January (at least here in warm and balmy Maine) is nothing more
than an endurance test to try the mind and body! I am happy with June being
what it is. For that reason, I never spend much time trying to do well in
June. No matter what I do here, I can get beaten out by a guy in Texas
running 100 watts with an Icom IC something or other, RG-8, and a 4 element
beam. It is just the nature of the beast.
This June Contest, my brand new 20 KW generator died after 25 minutes,
So I figured I would operate on 222 MHz and see what I could work now that I
had gotten rid of the video QRM from the local TV station transmitter.
Surprise Surprise! After quite awhile, all I worked was W3CCX and one or two
others. I quit and did something more productive. (I think I weeded my
garden) All the bands, 144 included were very empty of signals. Everyone was
sitting on six meters waiting for it to open, or enjoying the Es when it did
open.
I see no way to improve things without alienating a huge group or two.
It all depends on where you live!!
73
Dave K1WHS
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Tripp (K1IIG)" <stephen.tripp@snet.net>
To: <VHFcontesting@contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:33 PM
Subject: [VHFcontesting] 6m Dominant
>I try and stay out of the "Rules Game" and any blogs about our contesting
> aliments but I must agree with KR1ST, Chris, who suggests removing 6m from
> the ARRL VHF/UHF contest. My suggestion is not to eliminate all 6m ARRL
> contesting but maybe one or two especially during the June contest. Let's
> give the upper bands more attention, that is where we need to focus. 6m is
> a
> fun band but as Chris mentioned, it is in every radio and the bands get
> clogged with non-contesters. Maybe a 6m only contest is a good way for
> them
> to get inoculated to move up. I found myself trapped on 6m lurking for the
> next new grid and forgetting 2m-2304 during long periods of band openings
> when the multipliers are upper bands.
>
> Please remember, our upper frequencies are under major attack by various
> industries and it is in our best interest in keeping them alive, no matter
> how we accomplish this within our rules. Are we getting too picky on all
> this? or are we doing a good job of self discipline?
>
> Now back up the tower to add a new microwave band.
>
> 73's
> Steve
> K1IIG
>
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