Contest Mayhem.

gil · October 30, 2016, 05:37:18 AM

I'll try to remain civil...

Another week-end in radio hell where practically all bands were full of contesters! I haven't heard it that bad for a long time.

Yesterday I took my PRC-320 out in an attempt to drain the battery so I could measure its capacity on recharge. The darn thing keeps on going... I guess it takes a while to drain a 4Ah battery on 175mAh current draw, do the math... Even with quite a bit of transmitting.

Anyway, I couldn't find a 3kHz patch of unoccupied frequency! All I could hear was a bunch of frantic call signs being shouted into spit-peppered microphones by foaming mouth contesters on meth. There was 30m of course but I had forgotten my Clansman key.

Even 14300 was full of them. I can imagine the poor skipper sinking in the Atlantic trying to get a mayday out... Good luck with that... He would probably get a bunch of 59s.

So I simply tuned on all bands to make a list of tuner settings on the 320, but that's for another thread. I'll never understand... Stopped trying long ago. Some will say there is something for everyone in Ham radio, to each his own, etc. Sure, but why must their hobby prevent me from enjoying mine?

Gil.

RadioRay · October 30, 2016, 12:31:32 PM

I absolutely despise the 'RadioSport' (tm - arrl ) contesting. While many moan about 'the loss of our bands' to one thing or another, the BIGGEST problem on radio for those who actually communicate has to be contests. 40m on a weekend used to mean the ability to communicate and also many /p stations out camping with their home brew, battery powered radios - not so now. With the advent of computers used for CW contesting, it's one more way to SHOUT 599 on top of people who actually communicate.

I saw one note from a fellow in another country. He had stated that in his nation, even with 'the appropriate license' , if you had not passed a code test, you were not allowed on the CW bands. That would solve the lion's share of today's CW contesting. Voice - well, it's where most new hams go and so it is going to be crowded, unless you like NVIS ;-) Hit the band before it goes long and you have a chance of making your skeds.

72 de RadioRay ..._ ._

gil · October 30, 2016, 01:06:54 PM

Yep.. While I consider 40m to be the best prepping band, 30m might be the best operating band for CW, with 80m for NVIS. No contests on 30... I put contesting in the same category as train or plane spotting, in one word, weird... I wouldn't care if it wasn't affecting me.

Gil

RadioRay · October 30, 2016, 05:37:54 PM

When I read statements like :" Well, at least they're using the bands." I remember the year's race riots and think :

Well, at least they're using the streets (and fire bombs).".
Having a continuous string of RADIO RIOTS , jamming the bands for 1-2 days per weekend is not 'using' , IMHO, it's abusing.

-- This speech is available on CD for a $20 offering... -- :o

Now, over to something more more fun - Vietnamese coffee , a slice of my Wife's home made bread with cream cheese.

73 de Ray

Jim Boswell · October 31, 2016, 10:54:39 AM

The WARC bands are not to be used for contesting. This past weekend was dense. I want new hams to get on the bands, maybe someone should regulate contests? Here I am cleaning out my shack and trying to get on the air since March and just solid talk,talk,talk. I gave up the did yard work. Guess I need to get a WARC band antenna up. 73'S KA5SIW

gil · October 31, 2016, 11:22:15 AM

During a contest all civility goes to hell. Contesters seem to believe everyone else is in the contest and all frequencies are fair game. We do however have conventions on QRP and regular calling frequencies. 14300 should be left alone. Contest organizers don't give a rat's ass, forgive my French, about other people. That's what infuriates me. It's a free-for-all and damned be anyone else. You need radio to save your life on a contest week-end, you're dead. Disaster relief? Sorry, gotta log those 59s.. Rag chews? LOL! Not contesting? You're chicken shit, and damned your hobby, here is my contester's boot on your face...

Funny thing is, outside contests they seem like regular nice folks. It's like road rage though, put one of those drivers in a car and the nice family man will kill you for accidentally cutting him off. Same for contests... On a regular day, nice OM. An hour before a contest, the mouth starts foaming, veins pulse on the forehead and they start to mutter "59 59 59..." Psychologists would have a field day... No pun intended...

Gil

cockpitbob · November 01, 2016, 01:58:09 AM

Quote from: gil on October 31, 2016, 11:22:15 AMWe do however have conventions on QRP and regular calling frequencies. 14300 should be left alone.

You should see the peeing match about this on eham.net's QRP forum.
http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php/topic,110530.0.html
Most are on the side that says "No one owns the bands. The Band Plans not laws but are mere guidelines. Screw 'em. You can't tell me what to do" :-[ >:(
I tried to pitch the case for gentlemen following gentleman's agreements but that went over like a turd in the punch bowl.

gil · November 01, 2016, 04:00:04 AM

I'd be tempted to dive in, but as de say here, it would do as much as peeing in a violin...

Gil

Quietguy · November 01, 2016, 05:01:59 PM

Quote from: cockpitbob on November 01, 2016, 01:58:09 AMYou should see the peeing match about this on eham.net's QRP forum.

I quit reading all of eham's forums several years ago because of the trolls and general lack of civility. I don't enjoy associating with assholes in Real Life so I decided I didn't need to associate with them in Cyber-Life.

Wally

RadioRay · November 01, 2016, 07:52:05 PM

The fact of the matter is; I meet more good hams on the air, and in specialty forums like this one, than I read in the forums. I agree with Quietman - I would not spend time with the cyber-twits face to face, so I limit my time and input on the 'usual' forums. Those who 'get it' - get it.

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Contest Mayhem.