Glad to see we finally have some traction on finally resolving the long
running assisted versus un-assisted debate.
Okay - tongue back out of my cheek.
I have a very concrete example of the difference using packet can make.
In the SS CW contest - I ended up missing the top ten by a score difference
that would have mostly been made up if I had worked a clean sweep. I missed
VO1.
As it turns out, I was on the right band to work one, but was CQing most
of the time and wasn't able to tune on the same band while transmitting.
Note that there is a rule against using a remote receiver that is physically
removed from my QTH by more than 500 meters:
3.7. All transmitters and receivers must be located within a 500-meter
diameter circle, excluding antennas.
Most people would think it unfair if I was using a receiver in a far away
place in order to hear stations better than I can at my transmit location.
I am sure if I had a computer looking at packet during the contest, I would
have seen this:
W6IYS 21021.6 VO1HE NL freq correction 1658 05 Nov 2006
KB4GYT 21041.0 VO1TA 1715 05 Nov 2006
N9LJX 21042.2 VO1TA 1730 05 Nov 2006
KT0R 21011.9 VO1HP NL FOR THE SWEEP ! 1745 05 Nov 2006
W6EU 21012.0 VO1HP NL 1757 05 Nov 2006
K1KO 21012.0 VO1HP -- my 1st sweep!!! 1810 05 Nov 2006
K6VVA 21012.0 VO1HP NL 59 Mins but a Clean Sweep! 1819 05 Nov 2006
AA9DY 21012.0 VO1HP 1828 05 Nov 2006
VO1MP 21011.8 VO1HP 1844 05 Nov 2006
K6EU 21012.0 VO1HP 1904 05 Nov 2006
W6OAT 21012.0 VO1HP NL 1907 05 Nov 2006
WY3X 21012.0 VO1HP NL 1929 05 Nov 2006
N3AD 21011.9 VO1HP SWEEP NW I CAN GO HOME 1933 05 Nov 2006
K4EC 21011.9 VO1HP 1941 05 Nov 2006
It would have been simple to keep an ear on 21012 and worked VO1HP sometime
during the morning.
I think this is a case that shows that having assistance would have clearly
had an impact to my score. Also - as other "fresh meat" is located on
Sunday, I could improve my second radio tuning technique.
True - this isn't a DX contest and the packet pileup issue isn't as big of
a problem - but it seems we are talking about general concepts here that are
not specific to DX contests.
As a final point - if it is illegal for me to use a remote receiver - why
would it be okay for me to get information from remote receivers that have
people in front of them?
I think this all gets down to trying to perserve the contest in ways that
we personally have come to value them. We will always have this difference
of opinion about what makes sense - but I think it is fair to say there are
a LOT of people who want to see the two categories remain apart.
Now - back to trying to get the mental picture of N6TJ shuddering out of my
head. :-)
Tree N6TR
tree@kkn.net
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