Unfortunately, the contest mania has grown now to the point where almost every weekend, for two days straight (sometimes more) the bands become totally useless unless you're a conetester. For me: enjoy what you want, but WHY do it at the expense of every other ham in the world? There is a very common thought that if you're not in the contest then you have some secondary right to the band, because paper collecting is so much more important than any other activity - like communications for example.
I remember one git who would park on 60 meters with his 'voice keyer' , quite literally all day, everyday, because he wanted to get his 'Worked All States" on 60m. Nevermind that it made the channel entirely unusable for weeks (did he even sleep?) but from just before sundown when the band would fade in from Arkansas to Idaho until late morning when it would fafe out, there was the same 'voice keyer' "Alpha Bravo Five ....." calling and only answering in person, when he felt like it was important for his WAS.
If someone did that on the street, he's get knocked down - and rightfully so.
73 de RadioRay
W7ASA ..._ ._
I remember one git who would park on 60 meters with his 'voice keyer' , quite literally all day, everyday, because he wanted to get his 'Worked All States" on 60m. Nevermind that it made the channel entirely unusable for weeks (did he even sleep?) but from just before sundown when the band would fade in from Arkansas to Idaho until late morning when it would fafe out, there was the same 'voice keyer' "Alpha Bravo Five ....." calling and only answering in person, when he felt like it was important for his WAS.
If someone did that on the street, he's get knocked down - and rightfully so.
73 de RadioRay
W7ASA ..._ ._