Around here (central US) it is more likely to have tropo in August than in
May. But just a little. The last few years have seen no big tropo openings
in the UHF contest. The point about the August contest being close to
other VHF+ contest weekends is well taken. It does get to be a bit much to
be driving all over the place on two weekends in a row in contests. And the
heat factor is another good point. A few years ago it was so hot here in
the UHF contest that I only spent a few hours in it. I was operating
portable.
I know some people cringe at more categories, but maybe there should be a
category just for entrants who use EME? That way they would compete against
themselves, not those who don't use EME.
The increase in points as you go up the bands makes sense to me. I have
worked up to 500 miles on the bands through 10 GHz. On 24 GHz my greatest
distance worked (not just in contests) is about 110 miles. Average distance
worked and chance of making a QSO on a band decreases as you go up the
bands. Antennas become much more difficult to point and I have sometimes
spent a half an hour trying to make one QSO on 10 and 24 GHz. Outside of a
contest I spent four hours once working someone on 5760. It was a 200 mile
path. I'm about to make my foray onto 47 GHz. I don't expect to work more
than maybe 10 miles with the equipment I'm building.
I guess laser/light QSO's won't be a part of this contest. In addition to
having my eyes on 47 and 78 GHz, I've also been accumulating parts for an
optical station.
One last thing - as was pointed out by someone earlier, 222 MHz is
technically not a UHF band and it's OK with me if it were dropped from the
contest. I do have that band and have made many contest QSO's on that band
in the past. But it's really a VHF band.
73, Zack W9SZ
On Sun, Apr 17, 2016 at 3:13 AM, Doug Allen <dougk4ly@gmail.com> wrote:
> The distance metric scoring is long overdue and the absolute, best possible
> change.
>
> The early May date, just before much 6 meter E-skip kicks in, seems
> appropriate for a UHF contest. I don't think tropo is much more likely in
> early August in most parts of the country, September yes, but early August,
> no.
>
> I too dislike prohibiting EME, and agree that a fair "distance" calculation
> for all EME contacts be agreed upon. Marshall, what do you and others
> think would be fair?
>
> Is the 20X multiplier for some of the microwave bands too much or
> appropriate?
>
> Doug Allen K4LY ex-W0AH W2CRS
> arguing for a distance metric for over 20 years!
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