Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Frequency booking and bathroom break  (Read 387 times)

NO9E

  • Member
  • Posts: 1124
Frequency booking and bathroom break
« on: October 31, 2021, 06:22:33 AM »

I someone occupied the frequency in a contest, then took a bathroom break, saw his frequency occupied, and decides to reclaim his own frequency even though it is used, is it ethical?

My feeling is that a contest station would not hesitate for a second.  Me dreams of upgrading my 2 phased beams to bigger phased beams and to 10 KW on tap.

Ignacy NO9E
Logged

K7JQ

  • Member
  • Posts: 2602
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2021, 06:51:01 AM »

Any frequency is not your exclusive domain. But common courtesy dictates that you should avoid operating on a frequency occupied by a runner (CQer) that is already there. However, if you abandon a frequency for a bathroom break or start a run on another band while operating SO2R, and someone else asked "is the frequency occupied" (or QRL on CW), and received no response, then it is not "ethical" to try to re-claim that frequency now occupied by someone else. Unfortunately, not all operators practice common courtesy. Time to move on and find another open frequency.

Bob K7JQ
Logged

SWMAN

  • Posts: 2117
    • HomeURL
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2021, 07:14:18 AM »

That’s why I never do contests. To many cry babies.
Logged

K0MU

  • Member
  • Posts: 32
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2021, 08:29:43 AM »

All is fair in love and contests
Logged

K3XR

  • Posts: 245
    • HomeURL
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2021, 10:24:04 AM »

However, if you abandon a frequency for a bathroom break or start a run on another band while operating SO2R, and someone else asked "is the frequency occupied" (or QRL on CW), and received no response, then it is not "ethical" to try to re-claim that frequency now occupied by someone else.

Bob K7JQ

It's well beyond not being "ethical"...it's violation of FCC rules and regulations.

Subpart B—Station Operation Standards

§97.101   General standards.
(d) No amateur operator shall willfully or maliciously interfere with or cause interference to any radio communication or signal.
Logged

K7JQ

  • Member
  • Posts: 2602
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2021, 11:43:50 AM »

However, if you abandon a frequency for a bathroom break or start a run on another band while operating SO2R, and someone else asked "is the frequency occupied" (or QRL on CW), and received no response, then it is not "ethical" to try to re-claim that frequency now occupied by someone else.

Bob K7JQ



It's well beyond not being "ethical"...it's violation of FCC rules and regulations.

Subpart B—Station Operation Standards

§97.101   General standards.
(d) No amateur operator shall willfully or maliciously interfere with or cause interference to any radio communication or signal.

Yeah, but.....
See reply #3 ::).
Does the FCC monitor the bands anymore :o??
Logged

WA9AFM

  • Member
  • Posts: 978
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2021, 12:39:38 PM »

A '10-100' break does not press the 'pause' button on the frequency a station is using.  If a station abandons the frequency for any reason, it's now an open frequency available for any station's use. 

If the frequency is that important to a station, they should keep an empty milk jug under the operating desk.  NOTE, some serious contesters do that!
Logged

K3XR

  • Posts: 245
    • HomeURL
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2021, 02:00:46 PM »

However, if you abandon a frequency for a bathroom break or start a run on another band while operating SO2R, and someone else asked "is the frequency occupied" (or QRL on CW), and received no response, then it is not "ethical" to try to re-claim that frequency now occupied by someone else.

Bob K7JQ



It's well beyond not being "ethical"...it's violation of FCC rules and regulations.

Subpart B—Station Operation Standards

§97.101   General standards.
(d) No amateur operator shall willfully or maliciously interfere with or cause interference to any radio communication or signal.

Yeah, but.....
See reply #3 ::).
Does the FCC monitor the bands anymore :o??

 I got this crazy thought that a good citizen follows the rules and regulations being monitored or not.  It's a great definition of CHARACTER...what you do when no one is watching (monitoring).
Logged

K7JQ

  • Member
  • Posts: 2602
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2021, 05:05:58 PM »

However, if you abandon a frequency for a bathroom break or start a run on another band while operating SO2R, and someone else asked "is the frequency occupied" (or QRL on CW), and received no response, then it is not "ethical" to try to re-claim that frequency now occupied by someone else.

Bob K7JQ



It's well beyond not being "ethical"...it's violation of FCC rules and regulations.

Subpart B—Station Operation Standards

§97.101   General standards.
(d) No amateur operator shall willfully or maliciously interfere with or cause interference to any radio communication or signal.

Yeah, but.....
See reply #3 ::).
Does the FCC monitor the bands anymore :o??

 I got this crazy thought that a good citizen follows the rules and regulations being monitored or not.  It's a great definition of CHARACTER...what you do when no one is watching (monitoring).

I agree. But in all my years of contesting, I've heard a lot of "CHARACTERS" ::).
Logged

K0MU

  • Member
  • Posts: 32
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2021, 06:54:46 PM »

A similar concept applies to leadership. 

Logged

K3TN

  • Member
  • Posts: 1014
    • My Blog
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2021, 03:24:38 AM »

Long before I started doing contests in ham radio, I got used to "sharing" frequencies when propagation meant the bands were active. Propagation would shift and all of a sudden another QSO would become audible right where I was rag chewing with someone.  The Q signal QRM was created because of hams interfering with each other.

In recent years, especially since JT65/FT8 became popular, the bands only seem crowded during contests!

For the original poster's question, it is not accepted for anyone to "reserve" a frequency in contesting, though outside of contesting there are many nets that believe they have certain frequencies reserved for long periods at the same time each day.

From the Contesting Aargh FAQ:

Is it OK to just start calling CQ on a frequency if I listen and don't hear anyone using it? Well, if you listen long enough that is probably OK. Most feel it is better to send QRL? or ask, "Is this frequency in use?" once or twice. Think about it this way: if you were going to take the last scoop of mashed potatoes from the bowl at dinner, wouldn't you at least ask "Are these potatoes in use?" However, this is one of those religious debates where some sneer at QRL? and others are aghast at anyone who would not QRL? There are rules against intentional interference in Amateur Radio, but there is no definition of what you have to do to avoid causing intentional interference.

I have a follow-up question on frequency use. Yes, go ahead.

There seem to be certain frequencies that you are not allowed to use in contests. What's up with that? Well, on some of the low bands like 160 and 80, there are recognized DX "windows" from back in the day when working DX on those bands was rare and exotic. So, today generally only non-US stations are supposed to call CQ in those windows. There are also other frequencies that are used by groups like SSTVers or pig farmers or bean bag collector nets that tend to get upset if anyone else uses "their" frequency. While the reality is that no one owns any particular frequency, life is short - there are other frequencies to run on and rather than give the haters a reason to hate both the players and the game, courtesy is to just QSY. Also, when there are any emergency operations going on, it is more than courtesy to avoid interfering - it is core to our hobby. AC6V has a pretty good guide here.


Logged
John K3TN

KG4RUL

  • Posts: 3781
    • HomeURL
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2021, 05:55:13 AM »

Operating as a 13 Colonies Special Event station, I would accumulate a list of calling stations and work my way through the list to give everyone their contact.  Occasionally, i would confirm a contact with a station and that station would proceed to start calling CQ on the frequency.  Stupidity, laziness or arrogance?
Logged

K7JQ

  • Member
  • Posts: 2602
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2021, 06:41:55 AM »

What some "seasoned" big-signal contesters will do is establish/reserve a run (CQ) frequency, usually at the lower edge of a band segment, by getting on that frequency about 10-15 minutes before the start of the contest. Then they call CQ to *test* how well their station is working. When the clock says "go", it's their frequency until the run gets stale. Many "search and pouncers" will start at the lower edge of the segment, so that runner will get them first. Just a certain strategy.
Logged

AC2EU

  • Member
  • Posts: 2793
    • McVey Electronics
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2021, 08:16:24 AM »

Contesting is the radio equivalent of a blood sport.
Some OPs are downright vicious...and for what?
I don't get it.
I leave the band when the contesting melee breaks out.

NN4RH

  • Posts: 604
    • HomeURL
Re: Frequency booking and bathroom break
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2021, 08:20:23 AM »

A lot use voice keyer loops calling CQ anyway. You can tell because when they do answer someone, the voice is quite different.

So when you hear the voice keyer calling repeatedly and not answering anyone, it means they've left the radio to go to the bathroom and left the voice keyer running to try to hold the frequency.
Logged
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up