Trying to figure out what to do, when the contests come about

This may cause a lot of grief, but I don't know how else to start a dialog.

I use my radio(s) on a daily basis. I enjoy a net or two as well as some round table discussions on various frequencies.

This last weekend was terrible. Contestors were crowding everywhere with little regard to normal radio etiquette.

When/If we found a freq to visit on, someone would move in .5 to 1 KC away and start calling CQ...... Most without asking if the frequency was in use. Some who did, did not listen for a response.

I run some power so we can over ride some of the contestors with sheer brute force and talk to our local area group. If I am mobile and want to talk to my buddies, then it is a different story. The QRM is too hard to get by.

How do we fix this? It reminds me of letting a bunch of street racers loose in town with not regard to other drivers.

Ideas? or "just get over it" BS?

Thanks, 73
Tony

 

Use 30, 17, and 12 Meters?
Operate CW when it's a phone contest, and vice-versa?
Switch to VHF/UHF?
Go digital when phone/cw contests are on?
Many other options out there. Dave beat me to it.

 

I get frustrated the other way. Might be trying to get a QSO with some DX that is just above noise level, when all of a sudden a 'net control' station pops up on frequency -- and he must be running 10KW, splattering across 20 KHz of bandwidth. Seems to me that 'nets' on the HF bands are pretty inconstant considering varying propagation. VHF/UHF/repeaters/D-star/Yeasu Fusion etc are much more 'net' friendly. Just MHO.

 

Sounds like a net starting up.

 

#2 is excellent advice, and one I seldom hear suggested.

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

If I understand, for the sake of the contestors, that I need to move or deviate from my normal practice.... that may, or may not be a palatable solution especially given some of the restrictions/propagation of those ideas. Also my lack of skill with CW or some digital modes would also take away from my possible enjoyment.

This is not one I was looking for, hopefully, for obvious reasons:
"3. Demand contesting end immediately because you don't like it despite it having been common in ham radio for many decades and many thousands of hams get a great deal of fun and benefit from contesting."
Before you call me a hater, keep in mind, that I have given way to contestors and have also been involved to some extent in contests...... statements like that will make one become a hater.

What I don't like is unruly behavior with no consideration for others. Are you suggesting that it's OK to run over the top of everyone else in the sake of contesting? I would appreciate some thoughtful answers about that.

I have been involved in many forms of competition over the years and there was always structure and unfortunately participation limitations. Racing, and recently long range shooting and golfing, are my main competitions

 

Absolutely not, but you need to remember because of the idiosyncrasies of HF propagation, it is quite possible the that the person you see as 'running over the top of everyone else' can not hear anyone else and the frequency appears to him to be free. One of the things that make HF a poor choice for 'networks'.

 

@K7ONY Well, for a while there, it looked like no one was going to file the often repeated but usually ignored anti-contest rant.

Thanks for finally fulfilling our expectations. I give your rant a C- due to the lack of originality and the implied threat/ promises about becoming a "hater". Sounds like you're already there.

But seriously...

You have to understand that we here on QRZ really do hear this rant after every phone contest. Rarely if ever do we hear one after a narrow band contest. Any ideas why that might be? It also seems that a lot of the complaints come from folks who apparently camp out on one frequency day after day after day who simply cannot abide any changes to the daily routine.

Sorry OM but contesting is also a long time honored activity just like your valued nets are. Having said that, I don't condone deliberate QRM. Nets are not alone in the deliberate QRM action either. There have been pages and pages of posts on ham radio sites filled with outrage, not only against contest activity, but against another net that dared to set up within 5 KHz of "OUR NET"!

So, you can see that yet another anti-anything rant will not have any effect anywhere. Enjoy your time on the radio, sharing our bands, adjusting to band conditions and occupation, making the best of a sometimes bad situation. That's what makes ham radio work.

So, before the usual crowd starts up with: "Well I can only get on the radio on the weekend" rant, let me say just this:"Me too!". I can't get on the air during the week either. But if there's a contest on, one that I don't want to participate in, I do as Dave suggested: go to another band / mode and do my thing there. It's really not that hard and much more productive than posting a rant on a website about something that I cannot change, even if I wanted to.

Get the point?

 

Nobody , not a net, not a group, not an individual "owns" a frequency. If you have a QSO in progress amidst a SSB contest and someone moves in on top of you there is a pretty good chance they do not hear your in progress QSO. Lots of contest operators use some pretty directional antennas and, yes, they run max legal power. You may hear them when they encroach on "your" frequency but their yagi(s) may be pointing away from you and they have no idea they are interfering with you.

As others have said the WARC bands are contest free. The 18 meg band is very similar to both 15 and 20 meters so if your usual activity is on either of those two bands on big contest weekends you might choose to migrate to 17 meters.

The number of "big" SSB contests like WPX this past weekend are not that frequent so, yeah, live with it or migrate to another band or mode.

 

Well fellows, if this sounded like a rant... sorry OM....

Many can hear me otherwise they wouldn't be able to work a ham in my area....

The main suggestions I got are put up with it or move because you are more important and ...... some other demeaning suggestions about my ability or creativity.....

I appreciate the helpfulness

 

Sorry, I meant to say if it sound like a rant it wasn't.... sorry OM....

again I'm out, you totally convinced me... good day

 

The REPLY function here is really helpful to keep conversations in context.

 

Yes, but the thread was doomed from the start...

 

It’s not that someone else is more important than you. It’s simply that a big event is occurring and the band gets congested. As has been pointed out, often the other guy can’t hear you because of a directional antenna, or his local noise level, or he has his filters set tightly, or your signal is weak, etc. Yes there are some jerks - like the rest of life - but mostly it’s just the situation.

It’s a bit like streets and highways. Normally you can drive where you want when you want. But if there’s a big event in town, everyone is on the road and there’s very heavy traffic so maybe you get delayed or you have to pick an alternate route. Or, occasionally the city shuts down some roads for a parade or other event that attracts a lot of people and again you need to accommodate it and find a way around it.

I like your bio page, nice photos!