During the 2010 Oceania Contest there was some debate from participants and non-participants about the frequency allocation for contest operations. There were also calls for the contest frequencies to be limited to those above 27.405 MHz in the future.

In a nutshell, some believed that opening the lower end of the 11m band up to contest operations took away from the contest’s credibility as a serious 11m event. This reasoning appeared to have been based on the premise that those hobbyists who operate within the 26.965 MHz to 27.405 MHz spread are “good budgies” , rather than genuine or proficient radio operators, who don’t understand the first thing about contesting and contesting protocols on 11m.

In my opinion, however, this viewpoint does not take into account the operating culture of the Oceania region or the stated objectives of the event.

The OC Contest is not like other 11m contests. Therefore it should not be compared to others conducted in the 11m radio community (e.g. AT contests). Oceania is also dissimilar to any other region in the world in terms of who operates on which particular radio frequencies and on what medium.

The recent 197DA/0 activity in Vanuatu highlighted to both 43DA234 Tom and me that very few OC DXCC operators operate above 27.405 MHz. For my part, the reasons for this hobby behaviour are simple but varied.

Firstly, most OC DXCC are poor countries with residents who cannot afford expensive amateur radio transceivers. Therefore, the majority of radios in use in these countries are either old citizens band (CB) rigs or, to a lesser extent, 10m rigs such as the Dragons or Magnums which are relatively cheap by our standards, but still extremely costly for islanders. These are imported usually from Australasia at further cost.

Secondly, the primary reason for 27 MHz radio transceiver usage in most OC countries is not for DXing. Rather, it is for essential island to island communication within their own boundaries; it is for maintaining links between churches, between fishing vessels, between schools, between community chiefs, between family members, and others. Thus, ham rigs are somewhat redundant because a cb radio will do the same job at a fraction of the cost.

Essentially, this limited access to higher-class transceivers, as well as a differing operating agenda to our own, has defined the present-day operating culture of many countries in the Pacific area. East, Central and Western Kiribati radio operators, for instance, rarely stray far from their own calling frequency……27.335 MHz USB. Those that do are few and far between.

The amount of island dialect on this particular frequency/channel also makes it attractive to other Melanesian operators in the Pacific area such as those from the Marshall Islands, Northern Marianas Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam and others who are quite often worked on this frequency. The Hawaiian Islands, Indonesia and French Polynesia are three other DXCC in which most operators engage in island to island QSO’s within this allocation, even slipping down as far as 26 MHz to engage in their communications.

Additionally, New Zealand and Australia are two other OC countries in which 27 MHz radio enthusiasts predominantly function within the 27.405 MHz and 26.965 MHz allotment. One feels, however, that this operating culture is largely due to the fact that transmissions outside of the legal frequency allocations can have legal ramifications. There is also the fact that both Australian call frequencies (Channels 35 LSB and 16 USB) are within this allocation, both accommodate serious on-air action and both are regularly visited by other DXCC in the Pacific and Asian areas.

Back to my statement that the OC Contest is different to any other on the 11m contest calendar now and a close look at the event’s objectives will further solidify the argument that it take into account the full 26-27 MHz spectrum.

For those who missed the fine print in operation from day one, the objectives of the OC Contest are:

* To promote the OC region as an attractive DX entity;
* To encourage OC DXers to have more of a band presence;
* To advocate more ‘air-time’ from rare island DXCC;
* To emphasize the abilities of OC Transmitting DXers in a competitive arena which is geared towards fairness and equality for all rather than northern hemispherical domination; and
* To provide an effective platform for communications enthusiasts to practise the protocols of contest DXing more likely found on ham bands.

This final point should also alleviate concerns around the practice of exchanging progressive numbers. That contesters take the time and effort to explain what the progressive number system means with those hobbyists who do not understand their purpose is the expectation.

Like them or not, progressive numbers are still VERY much a part of radio communications with most of the major ham events requiring this procedure. So, again, the Contest is about education rather than isolation or segregation!

In conclusion, the current frequency allocation for the Oceania Contest exists to allow more OC DXCC to participate in the event. In doing so, it also promotes and encourages contest participation of those operators in low socio economic island communities who only have access to citizens band radios, or, who use 27 MHz radio for day-to-day living purposes rather than for DXing.

That the competitive event has attracted the financial backing of a number of high-profile retail companies such as Yeti, Syncro, bhi and Radio Warehouse Australia which specialise in citizens band merchandise should also not be overlooked.

I hope this composition has either eased some of the concerns around the OC Contest guidelines or clarified the position of contest organisers. Any comments, however, in opposition or support, are most welcome ;-)

73 de Darren, 43DA001
OC Contest Manager