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Author Topic: Your contact not wanted!  (Read 607 times)

N8OXQ

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Your contact not wanted!
« on: March 31, 2021, 10:08:05 AM »

I have been a ham for close to 30 years now but just two years ago upgraded to a General. I have only been in three contests so far and I have a few questions. I have seen (heard) of at least three instances of an LSB operator sitting right at the very lower edge of the General allowed frequency calling CQ. Does he/she not want any General class people in his log book? For example 7.175 and 3.8.
Also I have run across a couple responding in the General portion of the band and requesting calls on another frequency in the Advance or extra class frequencies.
What is the reason for this?
Thanks for responding
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KV1P

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Re: Your contact not wanted!
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2021, 10:58:03 AM »

Was that station a DX station?  if he was did you look up his band plan was it the same as the USA.
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N8OXQ

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Re: Your contact not wanted!
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2021, 01:00:24 PM »

Was that station a DX station?  if he was did you look up his band plan was it the same as the USA.

The ones I was speaking about were ALL U.S. stations.
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KF5LJW

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Re: Your contact not wanted!
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2021, 03:19:52 PM »

Many Extras consider themselves elite.
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K3TN

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Re: Your contact not wanted!
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2021, 02:58:13 AM »

Contesters want to make as many QSOs as possible - in 40 years of contesting I haven't met a single one who only wanted to work a particular license class! I'll pretty much guarantee none of the stations you heard will show up in the top 10 results of any of those contests.

That said, the bell curve is at work in all aspects of ham radio, just as in life. There are small number amazing skilled contest operators, a large number of fair to good operators and a small number of not very skilled to bad operators in all aspects of ham radio and certainly in ham radio contesting.

It is often difficult to find a frequency to call CQ in the general bands - many times it is easier to do so in the Advanced/Extra segments because other contesters and nets are occupying all the frequencies in the General class segment.

When a station tells you "Please work us on this other band on freq XX.YYY" that is usually because they are a multi-op/multi-transmitter contest operation and that is where the other op found a place to call CQ on the other band.

The sitting on the band edge is a good example - good operators know not to get close to the low edge on LSB bands or the high edge of bands where USB is the norm. When the FCC was more active in enforcement, used to be many FCC (and ARRL Official Observer) reports going out for violations.

If you saw at least three examples of bad contest operating, the bell curve predicts you probably ran across at least a similar number of really good operating!

73 John K3TN



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John K3TN

KC0W

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Re: Your contact not wanted!
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2021, 03:36:46 PM »

 It's never been easier to acquire an Extra class license. If people would just put forth a little bit of effort they would not be frequency/band restricted...........Oh I forgot, we must now level the playing field so that everyone is equal. Three cheers for mediocrity.

                                                 Tom KH0/KC0W   
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AC2EU

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Re: Your contact not wanted!
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2021, 04:50:26 PM »

Many Extras consider themselves elite.

We are, of coarse!   :D :D :D

K4EMF

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Re: Your contact not wanted!
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2021, 05:55:14 AM »

My own participation in contests is a very casual affair. 

As mentioned earlier though my first guess would be difficulty finding a general class frequency that's open at THEIR QTH is more a factor than intentionally limiting their possible contacts.  Assuming they're trying to score well in the first place of course.
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WO7R

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Re: Your contact not wanted!
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2021, 02:42:57 PM »

1.  Every contest is a "battle" between raw points (total QSOs) and multipliers.  The station in question may feel it is likelier that they will get multipliers by sitting outside the US General Band.

2.  Which contest?  In some contests, you, the stateside operator, get no points for working fellow stateside.  In others, it is maybe a multiplier only and one you are likely to get from (say) Canadians anyway.  In such cases, it is an advantage to be outside of the General portion because US stations are marginal at best.

3.  There may be no room in the General portion of the band.  Unless you are a complete a**hole, or even if you are, what happens if you switch to a crowded band after your run on (say) 15 meters peters out?  If you switch to 20 or 40 at just the wrong time of day, because it is the "least worst" option, then you may end up in a part of the band you'd rather not use just because you can't find even a relatively clear part on the General part of the band.  You don't have the rest of your life to look, either.

These are just some of the ways someone can end up outside of the general portion of the bands.
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