Carl Hyde wrote:
> Lets talk about contesters. Hmmmm they sit at a radio and call cq,
> exchange call letters and a signal report and go on to the next cq.
> Whats the point? That isn't communications its headhunting.
> Personally I wouldn't give a hoot in hell what any contester thought
> about anything! All they do is ruin the bands for a whole weekend
> that I could be using to carry on intelligent conversations. When
> they start giving cash prizes for contests then maybe it will mean
> something. Hi Hi
Hi, Carl,
Thanks for your comments. Points taken. I know you're a good sport, so
now, let's talk about ragchewers and other non-contesters. They sit at
a radio and call their friends. God forbid that you answer them or
break in on their conversations; they're not interested in talking to
you, they're interested only in talking with their buddies across
town. Heaven help you if you, after calling "Is this frequency in
use?" start to make a call on *their* frequency, because after all
they have been using the same frequency for 30 years every single
night at this time, so Yes, I'm sorry, the frequency *is* in use,
please go away and quit bothering me.
They exchange small talk and the latest news on their dog's
hydrophobia and how many guns they are currently bidding on at eBay
and the latest FTS-1,000,000 transceiver. What's the point? That's not
communications, it's RF pollution. All they do is ruin the bands for
weeks and weeks on end, bands that could otherwise be used for
intelligent conversations, tuning operator skills (instead of tuning
linear amplifiers), and inviting fresh innovation into the hobby. When
they start giving prizes for trying to educate these poor souls, then
it will mean something.
An important reminder for all of us: nowhere is it written that every
amateur, at all times and on all frequencies, will be guaranteed a
QRM-free experience. Every individual operator is solely responsible
for creating the best receiving conditions necessary for the
communications desired by him or her. That's what IF filters, notch
filters, RF gain controls, AGC controls, passband tuning, IF shift,
DSP noise reduction, directional antennas, receive-optimized antennas,
timing, operating efficiency, different modes, computers, and ham
creativity are for.
Thank goodness for the occasional contest to liven things up a little
bit and give each of us a chance to solve interesting communications
problems, don't you think?
R,
Al W6LX
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