I have learned many lessons over the years. One that I've learned is that
Amateur Radio contests are simply "coordinated operating activities". As long
as you play nice (and by the intent of the "rule") then the world is good and
no adjudication or additional rule is needed.
As for the PVRC's unprecedented forfeiting of the 2006 Sweepstakes club
competition, you should know that similar forfeiting of scores and submissions
have actually taken place in the last century (I've always wanted to say it
that way) when VHF Contest Rovers exceeded their 175-miles-from-the-club-center
limit while roving.
Forfeiting a submission is not a bad thing -- it is an honorable thing. Please
accept this as a major kudo to PVRC's sense of fair play. It is a great
opportunity to learn from one's mistakes and do better next time (something
that we all strive to do).
Best wishes to PVRC and a hearty "well done" from me (which, along with $0.99
gets you a "Big Gulp" at the corner mini market). :)
Regards,
Ev Tupis, W2EV
PS: unifying a definition of a "circle" is probably not in the best interests
of the sponsors, who come up with rules that reflect THEIR interests as
sponsors (and the people who must do all of the tally-work later).
----- Original Message ----
From: Pete Smith <pete.n4zr@gmail.com>
To: cq-contest@contesting.com
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 8:42:15 AM
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Going Around in Circles: Improving Club Competition
I was going to submit this for publication in NCJ, but local response has
been good enough and the topic is timely enough so that I decided not to
wait. Moreover, this reflector is read around the world, which is not
generally the case with NCJ, and this is a case where international
cooperation is essential. All comments and criticisms are welcome, of course.
73, Pete N4ZR
Any readers of this message are probably aware of the Potomac Valley Radio
Club's unprecedented voluntarily forfeiting of the 2006 Sweepstakes club
competition. PVRC decided to do this because of unwitting mistakes in the
club's management of its competitive "circle," the area within which club
members must live and often operate in order for their scores to count for
the club.
In the course of reaching this outcome, a number of us in PVRC worked hard
on understanding and applying available tools for mapping locations and
establishing exactly where the club's circle should be drawn. What
follows, however, does not represent the club's position, nor those of the
other individuals who worked on this. It is simply one contester's
proposal for solving a number of problems in club competition that have
arisen over the years.
First, the current situation. Of the 22 major contests that have club
competitions, 4 (all sponsored by CQ) use a 275-km (170.88-mile) radius
circle. 10, including all ARRL contests with club competition, use a
175-mile circle. 4 (the Russian DX Contest and the 3 WAE contests) use a
500-km (310.7-mile) DIAMETER circle. Two, sponsored by CQ, specify only
that club competitors must reside in a "local geographic area", while two
more CQ contests have no geographic restriction on club competition at all.
This situation is a real administrative nightmare for large contest clubs
that are attempting strict compliance with the rules. Simply drawing
different-radius circles around the same center point doesn't work terribly
well, because no club's members are distributed symmetrically within the
club area. Further complicating things, the Russian DX Contest requires
that the club circle be centered on a headquarters club station, which most
of the major US clubs, at least, do not have. Many, many members are
in-area for one contest, out for the next, and so on.
What I am suggesting is that the major contest sponsors agree on a common
definition of the club circle, to promote club participation in their
contests. Simply:
A 300-km (186.4-mile) radius club area (circle) would be used for all
contests with club competition (and for unlimited club competition, in ARRL
parlance);
If the property where a club member resides is entirely within the club
circle, or if the circle passes through that property, then that member
would be considered to reside within the club area; and
If a station is located on such a property, it would be considered to be
within the club area. Each club would declare (and have the option to
change) its circle center no more often than once per calendar year, to
accommodate population trends and other factors.
By establishing a uniform circle definition, we will enable clubs to tell
their members and prospective members definitively whether their scores can
count toward club competition. Because the 300-km. radius is slightly
larger than any of the current standards, nobody currently in-area will be
penalized by the change. The circle most dramatically affected would see
its radius grow by 50 Km.
Comments? Which major contest club will be first to petition the sponsors
for the change?
73, Pete N4ZR
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