Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Message-ID: <3.0.1.16.20010124115444.45ff5a0a@mail.cc.kuleuven.ac.be>
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2001 11:54:44
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
From: "Rik Strobbe" <rik.strobbe@fys.kuleuven.ac.be>
Subject: Re: LF: Please more normal CW activity on Saturday and Sunday  morning
In-reply-to: <000801c085d1$318f2e20$074501d5@dave>
References: <006001c08469$fbf5db00$bd9074d5@w8k3f0> <3A6DC98A.603583DD@alg.demon.co.uk>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Sender: <majordom@post.thorcom.com>

I have a bit of a problem with some recent mails. I agree that CW activity
has decreased over the last months but I do not thing that QRSS is to blame
for it.
Apart from one case of unintentional QRM (where apologies were given and
accepted) there has been one weekend that many of us were looking for QRSS
signals on 136.5kHz. All QRSS transmitting actvities (in Europe) have
either been below 136.0 or above 137.6kHz.
For the last years I keep note of the stations and hear, about a year ago I
had about 20 stations in CW and about 5 stations in QRSS over a weekend.
Now I have about 10 stations in CW and still about 5 stations in QRSS.
What I have also noticed is that the activity shifted from the UK toward
the continent, there is a lot of activity from PA, DL and F now.

One of the most facinating aspects of amateur radio is 'breaking frontiers'
and that is excatly what the QRSS transatlantic tests are all about. But as
every new mode QRSS has to overcome some opposition. When reading the
'letters from readers' in old ham magazines you will find the same
reactions in the AM versus SSB controverse in the early sixties or the AM
versus FM controverse on 2 meter a decade later.
I would regret it if we would stop the QRSS transatlantic tests now and
seriously doubt that this would increase the CW activity.
I see no reason why QRSS and CW can not co-exist.

73, Rik  ON7YD