[OhQP-mail] 160 Meters in the Ohio QSO Party

[Greg Weinfurtner]

At 09:28 PM 8/30/2009, you wrote:
>A question while the recent OQP is still fresh in the mind:
>
>Would it be desirable to add 160 meters to future OQP's?
>
>As we wait (and wait, and wait) for sunspots to return, and with that for 
>bands other that 80/75 meters to be useful for intrastate distances, would 
>a shot to work people again on 160 meters be a welcome addition?
>
>Or should we keep things the way they have been?
>
>Opinions, and the reasoning behind them, would be appreciated.
>
>
>
>73    --    Jim   K8MR
>
>Chairman, Ohio QSO Party

Yes, Yes! Reasoning:

1. 160 meters would allow us to get the close in counties during the day; I 
can work my friend 25 miles away with less than a watt. The counties I 
could not get were in close.

2. It would give one more options as to single banders.

3. 75 meters SSB is NOT the friendliest place on the spectrum, especially 
to contesters. I listened on a certain frequency for 10 minutes while 
cleaning up stuff on the computer log and then was ready to call CQ. I 
asked if the frequency was in use and a voice came on and said, "Yes it is, 
please get off our frequency." I ask politely for his call and told him I 
had heard no one for 10 minutes. He said that he was holding the frequency 
for 'his friends if they came on the air'. So rather than argue, I moved 
on. 160 is often called 'the gentleman's band' and it truly is.

4. 160 goes long at night and State/County hunters would appreciate it. I 
still have to work 17 States for WAS on 160. Oh, I've worked them, but dang 
if I can get a QSL out of them!  :')

5. Rovers would not have to compete with the trash on 75 meters at night. 
Especially since it is Saturday night! Like I said before, it only takes a 
few watts to go state wide on 160, even during the daylight hours. So 
antenna's for rovers would not be difficult to set up even with the low 
effeciency, lots of articles on how to convert/build them with 8' whips.

6. Almost all rigs now cover 160 meters and would not leave anyone out.
    Plus, I'd finally get to use my homebrew 160 meter CW/SSB 100 watt 
transceiver in a contest!  :')
  ( http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~weinfurt/160mrindex.html )

>OK, I think I've covered the bases, but if I think of more I'll chime in 
>again,


vy 73 to all and thanks for asking about 160!
Have a great year,


Greg Weinfurtner AEE BSS
NS8O
40192 State Route 689
Meigs County
Albany, Ohio 45710
United States of America
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