As a member of UKSMG and as the President of the Sixitalia Group, I formally protest against the proposed modification to the Operating Code published on your web site www.uksmg.org/code.htm
Those modifications are against the recommendations approved at the IARU Region I Conference held in San Marino this past November 2002. See www.sixitalia.org/iaru2002/C5-final-report.rpf
Furthermore, the comparison with the American BP is not suitable because it is completely different and the geographical configuration is completely different.
It is reasonable that an operating code should contain very simple rules that facilitate the activity on the band and not create confusion or QRM. Furthermore, the operating code must not conflict with established international rules (see BP IARU).
Using the intercontinental portion of the band for QSO DX defining DX all the QSO with QRB greater than 2400 km is counter productive, especially in Europe.
The countries located near the continent border could regularly use the intercontinental band to make QSO with other European stations, while those countries located near the center cannot. In addition, they will have QRM caused by that which will risk true intercontinent contact.
Here are practical examples of QRB greater than 2000 km. As a matter of simplicity, the capitals' locator are used: G (IO91), DL (JO30) , SV (KM17), YO (KN34), I (JN61), 9H (JM75), SM (JO99), CT (IM58).
Please note, that the capital are note the exact geographical center of their respective countries. Therefore the results will be different.
|
Ww loc. |
IO91 |
JO30 |
JO99 |
JN61 |
KN34 |
JM75 |
KM17 |
IM58 |
|
IO93 |
X |
N |
N |
N |
2212 |
2188 |
2442 |
N |
|
JO30 |
N |
X |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|
JO99 |
N |
N |
X |
2045 |
N |
2648 |
2463 |
3060 |
|
JN61 |
N |
N |
2045 |
X |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|
KN34 |
2212 |
N |
N |
N |
X |
N |
N |
3052 |
|
JM75 |
2188 |
N |
2648 |
N |
N |
X |
N |
N |
|
KM17 |
2442 |
N |
2463 |
N |
N |
N |
X |
2798 |
|
IM58 |
N |
N |
3060 |
N |
3052 |
N |
2798 |
X |
The table shows that all the countries located in Central Europe are strongly penalized by strong interference coming from no DX QSOs (in the example DL and I but also F, OZ, OK, OM, PA, ON, LX, YU, S5, 9A, HB etc) with an advantage of the border countries (CT, EA, G, SM, LA, OH, LZ, SV, 9H etc).
It seems more reasonable to use the intercontinental portion of the band to contact stations outside Europe and the other frequencies for the European one. I would eliminate the word "DX" because "DX" not only refers to the distance but alsoto the uniqueness of the station. For example, I live in Rome and for me Vatican City (HV) is a DX station but is only 3KM from my QTH or 4U1ITU is a DX because it's not reachable in a single hop.
If you want to tie the term DX to a station, it should be a minimum of 4000 KM distance away.
Please don't forget that in the future also the Russian OM will join us on 50 meters, which will make it increasing difficult to contact the far east countries from the Central Eastern Euorpe.
Considering everything above, I don't approve the amendment to the "Code" as written on your web site. I insist that you NOT PUBLISH (Six News UKSMG November 2002 pg.58) BP, NOT approved by the IARU and by your National Radioamateurs Association.
73 Sergio, ik0fta, Sixitalia.