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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>160 is a great band, but I see a couple of issues
that could come into play...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>1. Many of the mobiles do not have 160 meter
capability... Most screwdriver antennas won't cover 160. Most
resonators won't play well on 160 CW and Phone without retuning. A mobile
antenna on 160 is such a serious compromise, it's a little like using a rubber
duckie on 2 meters... it will work, but not all that well. Yes, I know
that lot's of folks run mobile on 160 and they will probably
disagree.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>2. There are a lot of fixed station Ops who
do not have the required real estate to put up a decent 160 meter antenna and
may lose interest in the QSO party if they think that they will no longer be
able to compete since they can't operate one of the bands
effectively.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3. This year, it was fairly easy to work even
the close in counties on 80 meters... especially during the day... I think a lot
of folks were surprised that 80 was actually fairly usable before dark... Quite
honostly, I didn't hear all that much "bad mouthing" on 75 meter phone, but I'm
sure it was there...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>4. Someone made the comment that folks will
lose interest in the QSO party if the same callsigns win year after
year... Here's a surprise for you... It's good operators that win year
after year... and if you give them another band, they will probably still
win... Personally, I find it a challenge to just improve my own score each
year and maybe someday I'll be the guy that everyone else is trying to take
down!!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I read an article that Bob, N4CD wrote about the
Ohio QSO Party in his County Hunter News letter today... his comment was "wow -
another good one" (pages 21 - 25). Several hundred county
hunters read his newsletter by the way... many of those county
hunters have scores listed on the 3830 reflector...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Your can read what he wrote at:
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://chnewsonline.com/CountyHunterNewsSept2009.pdf">http://chnewsonline.com/CountyHunterNewsSept2009.pdf</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It's a pretty darn good QSO Party as it is... so, my vote is don't fix it
cause it ain't broke!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Steve - AA8HH</DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>