I'be been surprised by how little (like no) comment there has been on the
changes to the club competition rules. Most of them are all to the good,
but I'm perplexed by the change in the club area. The new rule, to go into
effect this coming November, says that, "Medium and unlimited clubs now may
define their club service area either as a 175-mile radius circle or as an
entire ARRL section. This change will allow clubs from larger states than
encompass entire ARRL sections to compete with each other. Clubs may select
one definition or the other but not both."
It seems to me that this change will have little, if any, practical effect.
In the densely populated areas, ARRL sections are smaller than the
175-mile circle, while out in the center of the country, clubs are drawing
their circles to encompass as many population centers as possible.
Sections typically are identical to states, and in many cases --up and down
the Mississippi/Missouri, for example -- population clusters tend to occur
in different states separated by rivers.
Do any of the contest clubs out in the Black Hole see any advantage to the
new rule? Meanwhile, in Florida, where Florida Contest Group's plight did
a lot to raise the issue in the first place, the new rule brings no relief
at all.
73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the World HF
Contest Station Database at
www.pvrc.org
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