> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com
> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of
> George Fremin III
> Sent: November 29, 2006 17:09
> To: Mike Gilmer
> Cc: CQ-Contest
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Casual vs organized "alerting"
>
> On Wed, Nov 29, 2006 at 08:06:03AM -0800, Mike Gilmer wrote:
> > I find it difficult to equate the passive receiving of
> >
> > disorganized information as the same thing as being logged into a
> > spotting network, being fed thousands of
> >
> > specific data points that feed various point-and-shoot
> logging program
> > windows.
> >
> > If you're running and someone yells at you "Hey lid, you're QRMing
> > HZ1HZ up 1 kHz!?!" or if you are trying to pull a weak
> signal out and
> > some lurker yells, "It's Five-Zed-Four-Zulu-Alpha", is it
> really being
> > suggested to try to talk yourself out of working
> >
> > these guys?
>
> I dont see an issue with what you describe Mike.
>
> But what if during the SS I ask folks I am working to tell me
> where the VE8 is or for that matter if I keep telling folks
> on frequency that I need VE8.
>
> Some of them (esp. those with packet) might be inclined to
> tell me since it is very easy for them to do so. This is
> just wrong. And is really no different than if I had been
> logged into the DX spotting system myself.
>
If you request/get specific info and use it, you are assisted. Period.
During the phone SS contest I was running on 20 M and every now and then I
would stop the pileup and ask for VE7. I never stipulated that I needed one
for the sweep nor asked anyone to tell me where one was. For all anyone
knew, I was trying to work all the VE7s for an award external to the
contest. How they interpreted my request was not my concern. I could have
just as well been stopping to work QRP stations.
Anyway, there were some friendly sorts that told me where some VE7s could be
found but I ignored that info and kept calling CQ and stopping periodically
to see if one would happen by. To my surprise, one did.
Now, I was in the Unlimited category as I was using the cluster but had I
not been, and just been SOHP Unassisted, I would still not consider this a
breach of the rules for that class. I never asked for info on where a VE7
was, I merely asked for any VE7 on frequency to call.
In my opinion, the act of connecting to a cluster for spotting purposes is
the request for assistance; the same as asking other ops for info on the
whereabouts of various stations or multipliers. It is also no different than
the 20M op in a M/M station sending a mult to the 10M op at the same station
to get that mult. That's assistance. It is also assistance to act upon any
passive information you glean by any means as to the direct whereabouts of
stations or multipliers, such as "There's a P5 on 14020 right now". The use
of propagation beacons, propagation forcasters or Magic 8 Balls is not
assistance. Also, any generalizations as to possibilities of contacts, such
as "10M may be open" is not assistance. From what I've read in the various
rules, this is pretty well spelled out. "The use of dx spotting networks of
any kind....": for my money, a propagation forcast or innocent suggestion is
not a dx spotting network and is, therefore, not assistance.
It is also my opinion that if you are in the shack by yourself running one
radio, or SO2R, you are a single op. If a friend drops by and makes a few
contacts for you while you use the bathroom, then you are a multi-op. If you
have more than one op in your shack during the course of a contest to
operate, you are a multi-op. If you have more than one op using more than
one radio over the course of the contest, you are a multi-op. If you a one
person in the chair with one radio or two and you have connected to the
cluster you are NOT multi-op.
Wow, that was a lot of typing.
73 -- Paul VO1HE
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