SSTV v Contest Stations

It's sad how contests on HF bring out the worst in Ham operators. Constantly walking over SSTV stations who are keeping to the calling frequencies. Not to mention the very high powered stations not far from me scattering spurious emissions across the band.

Had a moan, feel better now 

Deb

Hi Deb,

I know what you mean, once a competition gets going it's absolute carnage and a free for all on the bands!! (WARC obviously excepted. )

I don't know why anyone would think they'd get good contacts by shouting all over an established net or QSO already in progress let alone frequencies in common use for other interests. I've heard "CQ competition" as far down as the CW section, splattering all over the digi-mode frequencies and sometimes 'out-of-band' altogether!

Amazing how many think that cranking up the Watts and stomping all over others is the solution to their radio enjoyment.


Some of the regular old hands are already taking advantage of the UK new 1kW limit by cranking up their power during nets to purportedly push away such operators but in my eyes they're all as bad as each other.....QRP is not as much fun during such events.

Luckily they don't last forever (although it can feel like it!) and there's always the option of simply powering down, getting on with something else for a bit and coming back to it all later.  


Does you good to have a moan, whinge, complain, vent your spleen or to simply get it off your chest now and then.......

Won't change anything but at least you'll feel a lot better until the next time.

73,
Victor

Victor wrote:

Luckily they don't last forever (although it can feel like it!) and there's always the option of simply powering down, getting on with something else for a bit and coming back to it all later.  

Thanks for the kind words, Victor.

It was certainly a mess yesterday on 20m, and it didn't help that North America was booming in. Apart from Van Rouge, my other passion is writing. But that's more of an income than a hobby, and returning to wireless was supposed to be a break from that!

Deb

ARRL International Phone DX competition on this weekend so bound to be busy.

I can't get up to much else with disabilities hence finding solace with digi-modes or else tweaking, building or mucking about with something radio related.

Sometimes even shooting the breeze on this old Charlie Tango too.

Contests are the only reason you still have much of the HF, VHF and UHF spectrum. Outside of contests and the infestation of a small slice that is FT4/FT8 the bands are like a ghost town. There's a lot of spectrum that authorities in many countries would love to commercialise and a low rate of utilisation would give them plenty of reason to take them back. 

Contests are very rarely on all modes on all non-WARC bands for a full weekend and there's always the three non-WARC bands plus 60m you have the ability to use if a contest is on. Costs pennies to make up a dipole for one of those bands.

Victor wrote:

I don't know why anyone would think they'd get good contacts by shouting all over an established net 

Oh the irony of that given how many nets see no problem with starting up and calling out over already established QSOs with the justification of always meeting on that frequency at that time which apparently makes it theirs.

Northern Crusader wrote:

Contests are the only reason you still have much of the HF, VHF and UHF spectrum. Outside of contests and the infestation of a small slice that is FT4/FT8 the bands are like a ghost town. There's a lot of spectrum that authorities in many countries would love to commercialise and a low rate of utilisation would give them plenty of reason to take them back. 

Contests are very rarely on all modes on all non-WARC bands for a full weekend and there's always the three non-WARC bands plus 60m you have the ability to use if a contest is on. Costs pennies to make up a dipole for one of those bands.

 
I agree with your view on VHF/UHF. When I was first licenced, I could only use those bands. That wasn't a problem, because I was interested in propagation, especially with SSTV. Temperature inversions in the warmer months made DX possible. And because lots of other B licence holders were in the same boat, contacts were assured. However, with the CW test being dropped for class A, the HF bands are now open to all UK licence holders, to the detriment of 2m 70cm etc. I'm guilty of that. Since my recent return to the hobby, the only VHF transceiver I've bought is a cheap handheld.

My interest is still SSTV. But since 2m is now not so popular, and the non contest band, 10m, isn't always open, I prefer 14.230 MHz where SSTV stations can be heard regardless of conditions.

I don't tar all Hams with the same brush; the vast majority respect common calling channels. But it takes around one minute for a single SSTV image to tx and it's frustrating when someone CQs over a weak station without even calling to see if the frequency is in use.

73, Deb

@Victor

I just notice your location is Bedford.

Before we moved to France, we lived in Flitwick. I say we, my now husband did and I travelled most weekends and holidays from Ipswich. So I know the area quite well.

We used to regularly attend the Beds Steam Rally, in fact we are contemplating taking the camper this year. I remember an Amateur Radio club station set up there, I wonder if they still do.

In any event, I will be taking a transceiver or two if we do go.

73, Deb

Hi Deb,

Yeah, the apple didn't fall far originally being a Luton lad until I met a lovely village lass and became a 'villager' myself.
Home is definitely where the heart is.


Been years since I went to the steam rally but then I've been stuck in this damn house for ten years now. There's a few radio clubs in the area so could've been anyone of them and although I've given most of them a 'taste' visit none took my fancy to ever join.

If you're ever out this way let us know and I'll be happy to give you a shout.



All the best,
Victor

Victor wrote:

If you're ever out this way let us know and I'll be happy to give you a shout.

I'll be sure to let you know if we decide on the steam rally. Our next UK visit is to near Doncaster for a VW camping meet April.

73 Deb