Ron:

As a developing contester of sorts, I feel the need to respond to your 
arguments here.

Although there certainly are a number of contesters who do exactly what you 
say (operate with the highest possible power and severely-splattering 
signal)  with little regard for others, I have actually found most 
contesters to be quite polite.  If polite is an overstatement, let me just 
say that the majority of contesters I have run into have been quite 
considerate, and have been very willing to step aside from a pile-up while 
others like myself with lower power and rather modest antennas make our 
contacts.

If this was not the case, I don't think I'd be making the scores I'm making 
when I do engage in the various contests that I'm interested in.

In addition, I think it would be an absolute shame if contesting was 
abolished.  It has been a key mechanism in increasing the activity on the 
ham bands, and promoting interest in at least the HF aspects of the hobby as 
well.  Just think, for example, what Field Day has done for us over the 
years!

All of this brings me to my ultimate point:  Don't eliminate contesting; 
it's akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater!  If we want to make 
things better during contest periods, let's do the self-policing and 
internal enforcing of best practices and band plans that we hams are 
supposed to be able to do among ourselves.

73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Canazzi" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2012 8:16 PM
Subject: Re: My response to the new ham creed post


> Hi List,
>
> I thought I would chime in and really stir the pot. I have always had a
> problem with contests.  Let me explain my position.
>
> [I can't quote the exact portions of part 97 for these items, but they are
> quite evident.  I have never heard them disputed at all.]
> 1.  The FCC rules plainly state that you should not ever make 
> communications
> where you knowingly interfere with other stations.
> 2.  The rules also state that you should always use the minimum amount of
> power necessary for clear communications.
> 3.  Yet, week after week, year after year, thousand (maybe tens of
> thousands) of hams violate these rules during contests.
> A.  Many of them run near the maximum amount of power necessary for any 
> type
> of communication: large amplifiers with high ERP antennas.
> B.  Although some may argue that the operators are not deliberately
> interfering with other contesters, this is at best a naive argument. 
> Anyone
> who has listened to contests even a few times will hear the pile-ups that
> occur with distant or important DX/point stations.  Simply saying that you
> don't intend to interfere is in my mind like the drunk saying he didn't 
> mean
> to kill your 2 year old child when he ran over the curb smashed on booze;
> it's the same rationale.  Using large amplifiers, high ERP antennas and so
> on is absolute proof that the people are trying to 'cover up/drown out'
> others and score as many points as they can regardless of who they 'step
> on.'
> C.  Why this tradition has become so well excepted in the light of the
> obvious and is supported by the 'ham radio establishment' never ceases to
> amaze me--since people like myself, while operating low power, simplex on 
> 2
> meters, are often castigated for joking and satirical humor by 'the old
> guard' who say it's in violation of the 'spirit' of ham radio.
>
> As I see it contesting in and of itself promotes some of the worst 
> practices
> of ham radio so when new comers join the hobby, if they want to be 'cool'
> they receive the message from 'the ham radio establishment' that at least
> when it comes to contesting: bigger is always better; the more power the
> better; outscore the other guy/club at any and all costs; and devil take 
> the
> hind most if it comes to it.  But all in all, the tradition of contesting
> will probably not die any time soon--despite its obvious plethora of
> contradictions.