On Wed, May 22, 2002 at 09:07:16PM -0400, The Greene Family wrote:
> If I recall, the whole thing about making skeds using non-amateur
> means during a contest being evil was because of an event in 80's.
> It seems a well funded HF station in the Caribbean didn't use their
The station might have been in OH (not Ohio).
> So, here is my proposal: Make it legally, ethically, and spiritually
> acceptable for anyone to make skeds during the contest using the
> internet (or if you must, over the phone.)
How does one make it acceptable by mandate? I would never feel good
about using skeds in a "contest". I would not feel good about using
the internet or phone and be "unassisted".
> The reasoning is this: I consider VHF contests an opportunity to
> make long distance contacts or at least challenging contacts (one
> ham's local is another ham's DX). Making contacts well beyond the
> ordinary. Pushing the limits. That's what the whole thing is about.
> Or started out to be about. So, why not do everything you can to
> facilitate this?
I think you can encourage people to get on the air, without making
arrangements for specific QSOs.
> Wouldn't it be great if you could get on from your average home
> location that's within a half hour of your job, with your above
> average VHF station, and work some station on 2 meters 600 miles away
> without an opening? How could you do that if you couldn't anyone's
> attention with your average signal?
I think you can do that in most any VHF contest - without a sked.
> You could make the point that allowing this scheduling would make the
> contest more fair and equitable than it is presently.
Hmm - I look forward to that debate.
> The first is: How would you guarantee that the contacts are
> legitimate? My response is that you'd do it the same way you do
> right now. Check the logs. There is just as much chance for a
> conspiracy if scheduling is allowed than if it isn't, I'd think. In
> fact, if the skeds were made through a public resource like DXSummit
> or DXWorld, then the contacts would be laid bare for the world at
> large to see.
I don't see that as the biggest issue.
> Gee, maybe I can only think of one argument.
How about the guy in the parking lot of a ham fest who has a big two meter
antenna pointing at some multi-multi and lets you hook up your HT to work
them?
> I'd also like to ask this of the group: How is a contact arranged
> over the internet any different than somebody (or some group)
> equipping somebody else with an entire portable station, on a host of
> bands, and sending them out into the world during the contest? Isn't
> there just the slightest chance that the equipment supplier is going
> to be the beneficiary of the majority of the rover's contacts? How
> are the goodness of those contacts policed?
I hope that rovers attempt to work as many people as they can when they
are on from a new grid. I know I would in that position.
> Oh yeah, I thought of the other argument. Maybe the active
> participants really don't want this to be a VHF DX contest. Maybe
> their preference is for a contest of lots of easy contacts.
> Especially for the "haves."
Well - maybe VHF Contest is really an oxymoron, and we are just debating
if the emphasis is on VHF or Contest.
Nice to hear from you.
Tree
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