snip


Ask yourself this: Why do DX 'phones operate in the US CW/data
subbands at all if they can operate in the US 'phone subbands?


In the case of 40, it's to avoid BCI.

Maybe in Regions 1 and 3, but why in Region 2?

The BCI is pretty severe at night in the US, so hams in VE, for example,
who have available phone spectrum below 7100 are likely to use it.


On the other bands, I think a lot of DX ops don't even know how far
down US hams can go on phone (although the serious DXers do).

I disagree. American hams are obvious by their absence. The DX goes
outside the US 'phone bands to avoid Yank QRM.

Those of the DX who are not DXers are more likely oblivious

SNIP

The classic problem with kits is that they are only as good as the
builder.

BTW, I just received the parts for my K5OOR linear.

Never heard of it. Any good?

Hopefully. Quite a lot of people in HF Pack have built it, and I don't
hear much about problems with it.


We're supposed to call it a project instead of a kit, HI.

That's because it's illegal to call it a kit. Thanks to misnehaving cb
and freeband folks.

Anyway, when I've built it, it will
amplify the output of my FT817 to 35 watts on 160-10. It will be
pretty small too, i.e. the FT817 plus the linear will still be much
smaller and lighter than the IC729.

But how many amps will the combo draw, transmit and receive? My K2
draws about 250 mills on receive.

The Yaesu isn't as light on current as it ought to be for a portable rig.
With the linear, the current drain of the rig will pale into
insignificance anyway, at least on transmit. I'll try to look up some
actual figures, though. I don't backpack, although I often go camping in
tents, so I can bring a fairly large battery to power a linear.

I also use the FT-817 mobile. I would love to also own an FT-100 or an FT-
857 for mobile use, but my bank account dictates otherwise.

SNIP

Almost all contests have separate CW and 'phone weekends. (FD and
ARRL 160 are the exceptions that prove the rule). The ham population
can choose to operate one, both, or neither. CW participation is UP
while 'phone is flat.

That puzzles me.

It's a fact.

I honestly don't think it's due to new hams preferring
CW.

Why not? I know lots of new hams who prefer CW, once they get a
reasonable set of skills. That doesn't mean everyone will like it.

Maybe there are people who used to only contest on phone that are now
doing the CW leg as well.

Perhaps.

Or perhaps the declining sunspots and proven superior performance of
CW are drawing more hams to use it.


I can see that some contesters would switch, as they are pragmatic about
what mode they use provided they score points. With poor band conditions a
'smaller' station might be more competitive in the CW leg.

Perhaps the simple fact that CW is unique is the attraction.

Perhaps it's just the rising number of hams.

But the fact remains that for whatever reasons, HF CW USE by hams is
increasing in at least some measurable ways.

This fact puts the lie to the claim that "young people" and "new hams"
aren't interested in the mode. At least some of them are.

It depends how young. Often kids like CW.



and most administrations don't
really care what hams do within the ham bands. I suspect that,
for example, Industry Canada don't even care about Canadian hams
annoying other Canadian hams by operating phone on CW
frequencies.

Then you can expect more of the behavior you have complained
about.


Perhaps

Count on it. Remember the story of the Tower of Babel?

I guess not.

73 de Jim, N2EY

73 de Alun, N3KIP