[Moon] EME Contests

Peter Blair g3ltf at btinternet.com
Wed Dec 2 19:10:20 CET 2020


Interesting post Ben,
Like you as a CW op I am happy to use the logger to announce my CQ frequency 
and to give a bit of help on stuff like doppler when needed.
However you prompted me to take a look back at the history, not the 
in-out-in-out hokey-cokey of ARRL and "assisted operation", but how do the 
number of QSOs compare pre and post digital?

Take 144MHz. From 1988 to 2000 there were only 3 years when the top station 
made less than 300 QSOs. By comparison the top station in 2019 with the 
benefit of digital and SDRs and chat rooms made a total (CW+digi) of 231 ( 
in 2018 214)
For 432MHz from 1988 to 2000 the top station made over 120 QSOs, the peak 
year being 1994 with 180 QSOs. I chose 120 because in 2019 the top station 
made 121
For  1296MHz, comparisons are much more influenced by the big improvements 
in rx technology but even so, in 2000 the 100 QSO total was reached, last 
years top score was 125.

There is no question but that digital has increased interest and bought lots 
of new folk in to EME but it doesnt seem to have made much effect on the 
contest scores. To me its strange that with digtal, SDRs and chat rooms we 
seem unable to make more QSOs than in the contests than 30 years ago.
I think my stats are correct but if there are errors please point them out 
(politely).... and now I must get back to my log entry
73 Peter G3LTF


-----Original Message----- 
From: SM6CKU via Moon
Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2020 2:36 PM
To: moon at moonbounce.info ; moon-net at mailman.pe1itr.com
Subject: [Moon] EME Contests

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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