Hi Bob and all, I guess I qualify as a "big gun" when I operate from K1WHS
unlimited multiop in Southern Maine and I certainly agree with you, that we
don't want our "investment" (mostly TIME not money I might add!) wasted by
changing the rules any more than they have already been. BUT to be truthful,
we are only competing with a few other Multi-unlimited stations! Check it
out there really aren't that many any more since the "Limited" class came
along! Plus with W2SZ and K8GP in the mix, we (at K1WHS) really have NO
CHANCE of winning at all. NONE - we are too far off in the boondocks. So,
with no chance of winning, we still put together an 11 band operation and
put hundreds and hundreds probably thousands of man-hours into getting ready
for the June and September contests last year. What's the point? BECAUSE IT
IS FUN! And don't forget how the smaller (FT100/IC706) stations benefit from
being able to work the big mountaintop multiop stations. How many small
stations caught the "contest bug" when they realized they could work a
station 500 miles away on a dead band with 25 or 100 watts??! Anyway, so
it's not about winning. OK, maybe getting in the top ten. But mainly it's
because we all enjoy operating contests and VHF. It's FUN! OK, so that's my
rap on keeping the unlimited multi class as it is.
I also operate from my own modest rover station in January. I've gone out up
here in Maine with 6, 2, 222, 432 with an FT100D-based station to give out
some rare grids (sometimes to some of the "big guns"..) I guess that puts me
in the FT100D class, right? So I turn in a score each January of a couple
thousand points, and have exactly ZERO chance of winning anything. Why?
Again it's to have FUN. I really don't get discouraged because my score is
small compare to some of the bigger stations. Guess I'm NOT in the same boat
as Bob. I don't find it discouraging to get a "low" score, and I guess, like
someone said earlier on this reflector, we all really just compete with
ourselves. I send in a log (usually) but don't really care whether or not
it's published. I just love this stuff!
If we need to make a couple more "well-though-out" entry categories, I am in
favor of it if it will get more guys on the air. It doesn't make a darn bit
of difference to me as far as MY score goes, but if there are more guys to
work, hey... that makes it more fun... I don't think this takes away
advantage away from the "big guns", since they are not really competing with
the smaller stations. If anything we all help each other. The small stations
benefit with more grids by working the big stations on the hill tops. The
Big stations benefit from getting lots of QSO points if there are many
"small" stations out there. BUT with the proliferation of 3 band all-mode
VHF/UHF rigs, I could certainly see the benefit of a "limited single-op"
class or some such.
That's it for me. I'll now go back to just reading the mail.
bill, K1DY FN54 Maine
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