Not another corntest!!!

[k3zrf]

OK, OK, OK, uncle!

I guess I'll need a crystal ball or some luck to get on the bands NOT contesting.

[John Holotko]

Can't we have contesting on the Internet too ? Juast think about it. Who can work the most European URL's,  We can have the "Emailed All States" contest and the "Emained all Countries" contest. We could have the "most ftp download" contest the "biggest single download" contet", the "watched most online movies contest" the "music downloading contest". I haven't even gotten into IM or IRC yet. The possibilities are endless.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

The reason the band is filled with contesters several weekends a year is becuase there are more operators on the bands at those times.

And therein lies the glaring flaw in your position. The fallacy of false cause. The band is full because contesters do not follow accepted practice for frequency spacing. In other words, there may be more operators, but the cause of the problem is not that there are more operators, but the operating practices used to obtain more operating space.

Firing up a mere 1 or 2 kHz from an existing QSO is unacceptable. During a contest it is accepted (at least by the contesters), even honored ("look how good those contesters are at dealing with QRM") during a contest. Rude behavior is rude behavior. It can't be overlooked just because it's a contest.

Also, you are confusing the right to be on the air with the right to special consideration. You are attempting to argue for special consideration for contests, meanwhile arguing that anyone who is against such special consideration is selfish. Not wanting to be QRMed can't reasonably be argued to be selfish.

[WD8BIL]

Good luck guyz.... I'm sittin' this one out.

[W9LBB]

Just MY two Centavos on this one.

First off...   I AM NOT OPPOSED TO CONTESTS, NOR DO I WISH TO BAN THEM!
It's not my can of Schlitz, but to each his or her own.

I think that besides the "stomp rag chewers" comment on the video, what torqued
me off the most was the idea that contesting is an "extreme sport", like snow
boarding down Everest, or seeing who can pull a Chevy Suburban the farthest with
his teeth.

That attitude is where the problem lies, IMHO; other hams on the air become just
another adversity to be conquered by any means necessary, just like bad
propagation, or FCC imposed limitations on power limits. <<grin>>

Hey Guys...  this is HAM RADIO! If you want to play Extreme Sports, throw money
at NASCAR iron or get slammed with chairs in the World Wrestling Federation! The
idea of getting a no holds barred adrenalin rush from a radio contest is a bizarre
technogeek fantasy.

IMHO there's little difference between an out of control contester and the clown
who pulls a drive by shooting; damn the collateral damage, just hit the target!


Also...  I'd question the contention that it's "only a few weekends a year". That's
true if you count only the MAJOR contests (and there's MORE than a "few weekends
a year" of THOSE).

There are TONS of lesser contests going on CONSTANTLY...   damned near EVERY
weekend it seems. State QSO parties and that sort of trash. Every time I tune a
rig into the ham bands on a weekend I can count on hearing some jackass braying
"CQ Contest" at the top of his flat-topping electronic lungs.


Even on those weekends where there IS a major contest going on, IMHO there is
NO excuse for the attitude that the CONTEST is the activity that gets carte blanche
treatment on the air. Contesters have to remember that the bands are a SHARED
resource, and there's NO WAY they have special privledges on contest weekends.


Well...   I've vented MY spleen. Let the flamethrowers sing out.


73's,

Mr. T., W9LBB

[W9GT]

Paul --

The reason the band is filled with contesters several weekends a year is becuase there are more operators on the bands at those times.   The first time you try to propose rules, official or otherwise, to cubby-hole contesters to a small band of frequencies because they effect your operating habits I guarantee you they'll respond the same way towards you because you're effecting their operating habits.  Be carefull what you ask for.   

As I've demonstrated before,  the percentage of weekends per year, and days per year, that contesting effects the bands in a significant way is very small.   You might not like what the numbers say, but you can't refute them.   I made the post a few months ago; feel free to look it up.  By the way, the approach is valid; simply trying to dismiss the approach as "without merit" means nothing.

Rude operating?  I've no problems with people trying to do something about that.  Just as there are those on 75M AM that give AM a bad name because of their operating practices, there are contesters that give contesting a bad name because of their operating practices.   Hmmm.  There are quite a few on this forum that defend that kind of late night 75M behavior as just having fun, it's been that way for years etc.  I wonder why they don't apply the same viewpoint to contests!!

K3MSB,

My hat is off to you sir!  You nailed it!  Maybe it is difficult for some people who have strong feelings about this issue to avoid participating in the "pile-on" criticism.  I for one, have enjoyed contesting to some degree over the years and I hate to see that portion of the hobby run down and badmouthed to such a degree!  I understand the ruffled feathers and I don't excuse the rude operating tactics of some contesters.  I do, however, think it is very wrong to lump all contesting/contesters into this category.

I also am much more offended by the black eye that is given to AM and all AMers by the few that seem to think that the place for vulgarity and outrageous behavior is on the ham bands.   You know, we used to have respect for the law and for decorum on the air.  We actually feared reprisal from the FCC  if we practiced such disregard for the rules.  I guess the fact that the FCC either doesn't care, or doesn't have the resources to provide reasonable control and enforcement of the law has allowed this to go on.  Oh well, what do I know, I'm just an old buzzard who values the fact that he has been licensed for 47 years and hates to see ham radio revert to such low standards.

73,  Jack, W9GT

[k4kyv]

According to this week's ARRL LETTER, here is the QRM agenda for the weekend:

This weekend on the radio: ... the Idaho, Oklahoma and Wisconsin QSO parties...

But I wouldn't want to get the FCC involved in regulating contests.  We don't need any more gov't micromanagement of ham radio.  Why can't the contest sponsors simply designate specific portions of the band off limits to contest operation, and disqualify anyone caught violating the rule?  That would leave everyone some space to operate, even though we might have to QSY a few kc's away from our carved-in-stone God-given frequencies decreed to us by James Clerk Maxwell himself.

[John Holotko]

I still don't get it ?? What is the lure and thrill of contesting ?? You buy a computerised radio that can do all kinds of modes, you run it into a max power out linear and into a beam on a tower then you shoud CQ Contest and people come back to you. You exchange 2 words with them and move onto someone else. I don't  get it ?? What's so fascinating about that ?? I can do the same thing over the Internet and get more meaningfull conversation out of it as well.

I could see  other types of CHALLENGING contests. How about very low QRP contests ?? Like who can make the most contacts via a very low power rig and minimal antenna.  Or perhaps  a contest consiting of low power portable stations using battery operated QRP rigs and temporary makeshift antennas hung from trees, etc. That would be interesting and challenging. That is more along the lines of what I might call a "contest". But buying the latest and most expensive Kenwood, Ten Tek, or Icom, running full legal output into a beam on a huge tower wheres the challegnge in that ?? I just don't get it.

[VE7 Kilohertz]

running full legal output into a beam on a huge tower wheres the challegnge in that ??

he he 

How many contesters run ONLY full legal limit? 

What does a 200 amp service translate to usable RF watts?

Cheers

Paul
VE7KHz

[Pete, WA2CWA]

  Why can't the contest sponsors simply designate specific portions of the band off limits to contest operation, and disqualify anyone caught violating the rule?  That would leave everyone some space to operate, even though we might have to QSY a few kc's away from our carved-in-stone God-given frequencies decreed to us by James Clerk Maxwell himself.

Contest police monitoring all non-contest frequencies for 24/48/or whatever the length the contest is. They would have to monitor all bands, be able to hear contest stations on the other side of the world on the low bands or stations running low power. Sounds like another contest in itself. I'm sure contest sponsors could find great justification in trying to do all this contest policing.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I still don't get it ?? What is the lure and thrill of contesting ?? You buy a computerised radio that can do all kinds of modes, you run it into a max power out linear and into a beam on a tower then you shoud CQ Contest and people come back to you. You exchange 2 words with them and move onto someone else. I don't  get it ?? What's so fascinating about that ?? I can do the same thing over the Internet and get more meaningfull conversation out of it as well.

It's the quantity of contacts within a defined period. Contesting is not about "meaningfull  conversation". "Meaningfull  conversation" is reserved for non-contest times. Even back in the days of boatanchors, there were lots of contests. Check some 50's, 60's, 70's QST's and CQ magazines.

I could see  other types of CHALLENGING contests. How about very low QRP contests ?? Like who can make the most contacts via a very low power rig and minimal antenna.  Or perhaps  a contest consiting of low power portable stations using battery operated QRP rigs and temporary makeshift antennas hung from trees, etc. That would be interesting and challenging.That is more along the lines of what I might call a "contest".

There are several QRP related contests each year. How about Field Day? Generally, temporany antennas, generator power, no linears, QRP class, battery power class, etc.

But buying the latest and most expensive Kenwood, Ten Tek, or Icom, running full legal output into a beam on a huge tower wheres the challegnge in that ?? I just don't get it.

It becomes a challenge when a 1000 plus other guys are running the same kind and style of equipment. Equipment performance becomes important, antenna designs are critical, excellent operating skills are crucial. None of these are required for casual conversation.

[John Holotko]

I still don't get it ?? What is the lure and thrill of contesting ?? You buy a computerised radio that can do all kinds of modes, you run it into a max power out linear and into a beam on a tower then you shoud CQ Contest and people come back to you. You exchange 2 words with them and move onto someone else. I don't  get it ?? What's so fascinating about that ?? I can do the same thing over the Internet and get more meaningfull conversation out of it as well.

It's the quantity of contacts within a defined period. Contesting is not about "meaningfull  conversation". "Meaningfull  conversation" is reserved for non-contest times. Even back in the days of boatanchors, there were lots of contests. Check some 50's, 60's, 70's QST's and CQ magazines.

I could see  other types of CHALLENGING contests. How about very low QRP contests ?? Like who can make the most contacts via a very low power rig and minimal antenna.  Or perhaps  a contest consiting of low power portable stations using battery operated QRP rigs and temporary makeshift antennas hung from trees, etc. That would be interesting and challenging.That is more along the lines of what I might call a "contest".

There are several QRP related contests each year. How about Field Day? Generally, temporany antennas, generator power, no linears, QRP class, battery power class, etc.

But buying the latest and most expensive Kenwood, Ten Tek, or Icom, running full legal output into a beam on a huge tower wheres the challegnge in that ?? I just don't get it.

It becomes a challenge when a 1000 plus other guys are running the same kind and style of equipment. Equipment performance becomes important, antenna designs are critical, excellent operating skills are crucial. None of these are required for casual conversation.

Maybe so and as I say, whatever floats ones boat. If someone finds enjoyment in contesting I say, "more power to em"and I certainly wouldn't want to stop them from doing what they most enjoy.  It's just that for me I don;t find anything interesting or thrilling about it. Given the right antenna, power and band conditions I know that my signal will reach a certain point.  Beyond that it is no more thrilling to me than knowing that given the right equilpment and network  of connections my email will reach point from my desk to point B. Beyond that the thrilling part is the content and quality of the information that it communicated. True it may involve operator skill in order to work many many many more stations than the next guy under crowded conditions. But to me quakntity is boring if nothing significant is conveyed. I'd much rather have one single quality meaningful convertation over the Internet than hundreds of abbreviated and insignificant contacts over the radio.

Again, this is only my point of view based upon what interests me. Others may feel differently and that is fine.  However, I did try contesting  and I found it completely uninteresting. As the old sasying goes..."Different  strokes for different folks".