[ARRL Contest Rate Sheet for December 14, 2005 proposed "Contests within
contests." See quote below.]
Great idea, Ward! Here's my twist on the contest within a contest: It's
actually a category within a contest, the Multi-operator, Single-Station
category (MOSS). It's just like Multi-operator, Single-Transmitter except
that it repairs the brain-damaged "Ten Minute" and "N Band Change" rules
that give single op entrants a big advantage in fun and scoring potential
over multi-op entrants whose hands are tied by awkward, artificial
restrictions.
Here are the proposed rules:
The primordial spirit (original intention?) of M/S categories was "two or
more operators taking turns making contacts at a station." The
Multi-Operator, Single Station (MOSS) category is just that. Based on the
M/S rule adopted by NCCC for the California QSO party, there is no limit on
the number or timing of band changes. SO2R techniques are welcome, as are
the use of spotting networks, both online and on the air. But techniques
like the infamous octopus that let multiple people operate concurrently are
against the spirit and the letter of the rule. To clarify this, we
substitute the following:
Once an operator sits down as control operator and makes a contact, no other
operator may make a contact for at least 15 minutes.
An operator "makes a contact" through any combination of the following:
- speaking any part of a voice exchange,
- sending any part of a Morse exchange,
- hitting any of the keys or buttons that cause a recording device or
computer to send any part of an exchange
- logging the contact
Copying assistance is permitted, provided the control operator makes the
complete, real-time log entry. The team must keep a sequential operator log
indicating the times that each person becomes the control operator. Entrants
will be required to submit their station logs as usual to the real contest
sponsors for official adjudication as M/M entries and submit to the MOSS
sponsor their operator logs, station logs and statements signed by all
operators that they followed both the letter and the spirit of the MOSS
rules.
It will take courage to enter this cateogry: Any team that attempts it will
be relegated by the official contest rules to the Multi-Operator,
Multi-Transmitter category of the contest. Since these teams are only
operating one station at a time, they will not be competitive for official
awards. However, they will have much more fun because they won't have to
deal with anti-octopus rules. This creates an ideal competition for stations
that have no chance of or interest in actually winning the official category
but welcome the challenge of competing under more realistic rules. It is
also an excellent way to train developing operators and to reinforce our
ranks.
If this proposal or a derivative is well received, I will sponsor suitable
awards to the winners of the MOSS category in selected 2006 contests,
perhaps ARRL DX, CQWW DX and CQ WPX. Awards will be issued after
publication of the official results ... probably sooner than the official
awards!
Comments?
73,
/Rick N6XI
On 12/13/05, ARRL Web site <memberlist@www.arrl.org> wrote:
>
> ***********************
> Contester's Rate Sheet
> 14 December 2005
> ***********************
>
> Edited by Ward Silver N0AX
>
> CONVERSATION
>
> My Brain Hurts
>
> ...
> I have discussed the idea of "Contests Within A Contest" before -
> make up your own set of parameters that satisfy the sponsor's rules
> and have a competition.
>
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