Rick, I have had the same experience here too, especially regarding 6M and 10M bands. Out of the hundreds of Hams in the area, I know of only two who use HF digital modes. Thank goodness for lists like these.
73, John - K8OCL >From: KV9U <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [email protected] >To: [email protected] >Subject: [digitalradio] Don't ignore proposals/local HF net successes >Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2006 18:30:28 -0500 > >Bruce, > >The ARRL is not generally going to ask other groups for input. It would >really be a bit unethical if my organization bypasses me and goes to >another organization for input. The input clearly needs to come from the >membership. So the ARRL acted appropriately. > >What seems to be coming out of all this is that SMIRK did not act in >their members best interest and ignored the FCC proposal. You do this at >your own risk. So I would talk to them about this and how you can use >the organization to further your interests, just like the other groups do. > >Just so you know, I certainly would never support any wide band modes >beyond what we now have on 6 meters or 2 meters. And that includes SS >techniques which destroy the noise floor over too wide an area. However, >I would like to see 6 meters used a LOT more than it is. It is >frustrating to me that after all these years, with many, many, more hams >with Technician Class Licenses, and with all the new amazing rigs with 6 >and sometimes even 2 and 440 SSB added on, very few hams are working >these bands for "local" contacts. The equipment (the really pathetic >equipment) I had in 1964 to work 6 meters (and could never get it to >work) is a far cry from what we have now and yet you just do not find >many operators. I call every so often on 52.525 FM and 50.125 SSB with >almost no contacts. Sure, when the band opens up, you can then work many >stations. I know that there are very weak signal modes such as some rare >EME work and more common meteor shower work so you don't want to >jeopardize those areas. > >By the way, since I moved about 30-40 miles away from my former QTH >which was centrally located to our club's Wednesday night chat net, we >have tried many different HF frequencies to see what works the best for >voice. We initially started on 28.400 for the last year or two but the >reason for selecting 10 meter phone was so that the Tech + and Novices >could be part of the group. Guess what? At no time have we ever had any >of them come to the well publicized net. So recently we have been trying >other bands, and 80 tends to go long and you get too many distant >stations wanting to contact us, 40 and 20 are outside the NVIS range and >have a weaker ground wave. Unfortunately same for 6 meters:( We thought >that might work OK for direct/skywave, but very mediocre results with >our mediocre antennas. > >The bands that really work the best are: > >160 if the other stations are willing to install an antenna ... and ... >15 meters was the best "ground"/direct wave of all the bands we tried. >Even with Butternut and R7 type verticals. I still can not quite figure >out the reason. > >I sure wish I could get some of the stations to try digital, especially >on 6 meters and 160 meters, but it seems nearly impossible out of 150 + >hams in the greater area, we have very few that will even try digital >modes at all:( > >73, > >Rick, KV9U > > > > >bruce mallon wrote: > > >They were not asked .... THAT'S THE POINT ..... also > >how many members of this commity are long time 6 meter > >users? How many are active on 6 meters? > >If newer modes like digital are to catch on you cannot > >call others " LEGACY " modes and work around them to > >seze frequencys and thats EXACTLY what was done here > >....... it is not in your best intrest. > > > >--- KV9U <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > >>Perhaps the lesson might be that unless we come to > >>the meeting and speak > up, our voices will not be > >> > >> > >heard. Actually, special > interest groups such > > > > > >>as SMIRK, SWOT, etc., should position themselves as > >>advocates for their > members point of view. I > >> > >> > >assume that they did this? > > > > > > > Need a Digital mode QSO? Connect to Telnet://cluster.dynalias.org Other areas of interest: The MixW Reflector : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup/ DigiPol: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Digipol (band plan policy discussion) Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
