Is it just me or does anyone else think contesters are out of control

So with the rtty contest going on over the weekend I have found that no matter where I tune theres contesters. Even on the jt-65 freqs. I've even heard them into the lower portions of the phone bands. I was having a qso with olivia and there txing over my signal. I understand we all share the frequencies but some common consideration would be nice. I understand joe shmoe really wants to make his goal # of calls but does he have to interupt and allready in progress qso? I guess Im just frustrated and wanted to vent.... Im done now.

 

Ahhh, common courtesy and contest, quite an oxymoron.
There are those that feel quite deeply that they have the right to jump on any frequency they choose.
That right to the frequency ends where your use begins.
There are all kinds of excuses that are offered but in the long run it's totally inexcusable behavior.
Be ready for those that will justify that exact behavior as being totally within the realm of proper operations.
Just keep watch here and you'll see it. And very soon too.

Have fun
73
Gary

 

Like any human activity, there are some who carry it to the extreme.

As a sometime casual contest operator, I always check to see if a frequency is in use before calling and I try to stay within the generally agreed upon mode segments. Unfortunately, there are so many splinter segments for various digital modes that I defy any casual operator to be aware of each and every small slice of spectrum already claimed by whomever.

Not an excuse for sloppy operating or forgetting normal courtesy, just a quick explanation. Forty meters seems the worst and the CW guys usually take the invasion with less grumbling, for what ever reason.

One thing is sure: Every popular contest brings out the operators, and the complainers. A good compromise satisfies no one!

It is amazing how the bands come alive during a contest though... I even heard some activity, however small on ten meters this afternoon, and fifteen was entirely filled with RTTY.

Five minutes after the end of the contest tomorrow afternoon the bands will resume their normal silence...

Unfortunately for me, I have to work tomorrow, dagnabit!

 

40 meters has been saturated with RTTY sigs, It's as if the RTTY operators are the only folks using 40 meters !!! WRONG !! There are CW (QRP) operators trying to "squeeze" in a CW QSO on this band. I've noticed that between 7028 & 7096,... it's wall-to-wall RTTY... !!! Absolutely NO consideration for CW operators.
Just blatant BAD OPERATING & disregard for fellow operators. IMHO...

 

Totally agree with ya'll. CW was not happening today on 40m. RTTY blasting full legal limit all over the very narrow JT65 segment. And a lot of contesters calling 20sec straight, then pausing maybe 2sec, then doing it again--all day. Even if you try to work them, you can't. Seems like the barrage strategy would yield very few QSOs--no one can answer before you stomp them again. I worked a few on 10m which was deadly silent anyway, and just gave up on 20 and 40 until late night. So many of the signals were so overdriven it was ridiculous. More power but lousy signal equals just noise. I feel for ya'll.

 

I was running on 40m in the contest yesterday. I had been on that frequency for at least 40 minutes when all over sudden some Olivia QSO started.
No checking whatsoever. So I guess it's OK to go ahead and bust the QSO of a contester. After all, they are just 2nd class citizens.
It goes both ways. There are always some bad apples everywhere, doesn't mean that we all are inconsiderate assholes. Especially on 40m I make it a
point to not go too low in order to leave room for CW ops, but guess what ... I didn't hear many even on the lower non RTTY used portions last night.
I guess they were all running in the contest

Why not just join in on the fun? Plenty of DX to be worked during CQ WW {RTTY, SSB, CW}.

73 Mike K5TRI

 

As an addition, we are talking about two contests during the year (CQ WPX RTTY and CQ WW RTTY) and one band where this happens as the boundaries are not as clear defined as in the other contest bands. And then there's the WARC bands where there is no contest activity.
So let's keep it in perspective. Does it justify bad behavior? Of course not.

 

I dont mind that the rtty is everywhere, theres a contest going on and a lot of people want to work it and theres only so much space. But the poor operating practices are what irritate me. As others have said calling cq over and over and not leaving anyone enough time to even respond to there cq before there calling again. And its never ok for any operator to interrupt an in progress qso whether you are a casual op or a contester it applies to all. So Im not against contesters at all, just would like to see good operating practices and courtesy among all.

 

I leave 2 seconds between calls. This is a contest, it's about rate. If you need 30 seconds or more to click to respond, maybe contesting is not your thing? And yes it's also to hold a frequency. If any OP would wait too long, it would be gone. Be fast, be gone. On to the next one.
That's the game .

And I agree, good operating practices still need to apply. But I would also offer that it may not be intentional, but simply the other station not hearing anything on the frequency. You don't have a guarantee to be heard everywhere.

73 Mike K5TRI (who has a slow run on 15 so I need to kill some time in between )

 

The small gap CQ guys are just weird...

Heard one yesterday. I was just tuning thru 40 meters giving a quick "Q" here and there. Stopped at one fellow who had a big signal with what seemed to be less that one second in between calls. I was wondering if he was tying up a frequency whilst he went to the head or something?

Tried giving him a call or two but could not get into the gap...

Takes all kinds I guess

 

As a CW OP who hangs out on the SKCC frequencies, mostly on 20 meters, I'm a little annoyed by these folks.

Robert, K6FNI

 

As a SKCC OP who operates all bands I don't understand where your problem is on 20m? 14.050 is not used for RTTY. 7.050 yes, but that's the world of 40m for you and also happens on non contest days.

And for the rest who can't seem to find the WARC bands: it's over, the bands shall return to their usual quiet status.
If I don't hear a 40m band full of CQ QSOs tonight, I call BS.

73 Mike K5TRI

 

Didn't hear any RTTY signals on HF. Oh that's right, our club had a foxhunt so I was tuned to 2m and 440. Found three transmitters and walked about four miles during the search. Fun!

 

00:00 UTC hit and 14080-14150 went dead. I called CQ on 14080 about ten times and there was no response. So I'm on 20m JT65 right now to get my radio fix.

I just wonder where all the contest complainers are. This is the perfect time for them to have their QSOs that have supposedly been delayed all weekend by the contest.