[Moon] EME Contests

SM6CKU Ben at sm6cku.se
Wed Dec 2 15:36:49 CET 2020


I have been a HAM for 60 years, a professional radio operator for more than 20 years and I have been on EME since 1975, so I feel qualified to comment on EME contests. Before the digital modes became popular we were only on CW and/or SSB.  It was easy and there were no chat rooms available, not even a SDR. You tried to work everyone heard and it was lot of fun. 

Now, with digital modes, chat rooms and SDR’s, it all changed. That’s why I don’t compete today.  CW/SSB should be one class and Digi-modes another one, regardless of bands. The important issue is about the chat rooms, should they be allowed or not? In my world you cannot call it a contest if some stations are using the chat room, others not. Bob, KA1GT, suggested that ARRL could change the contest to Activity Weekends, and that is fine with me, but there are already a lot of them. Otherwise I agree 100% with Bob.

CW vs Digi-modes is no issue for me, I will be where the activity is. But if we want to continue with contests they should be separated! What about chat rooms in contests? I don’t think you can close them during a contest, so what to do? How many digi-QSO’s will be made without them?

Don’t get me wrong, I use the logger all the time, not for completing a QSO but I often announce my presence. My challenge, with a reasonably “big” station on 23cm, is to work those who are new to EME and others with small antennas or low power, who just want to work me. On other microwave bands I probably belong to the other side….

I will be around whatever you may decide – but not competing

73 de Ben SM6CKU


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