WA9ALS - John wrote:
>
> > But with SO2R, listening is 100% of the time, and often on multiple
> > bands simultaneously as well. Nothing in the rules prevents you from
> > having a separate RX on each band if you want, all running all the time.
> >
> > This is too great an advantage for the SO1R guys to ever be competitive.
>
> Bill, if you haven't already, would you comment on Don's post about K4GMH
> reaching #2 on the World Rank list as a 1R guy? Apparently Mike has found a
> way to be competitive. ;-)
But that's NOT the point. We have separate classes for high power and
low power and nobody argues with that. However, that's not to say that a
low power guy couldn't do well, but again, not the point.
SO2R is fine, but it should have a class of its own (just like low/high
power). High power was perceived as an advantage by the contest rule
makers, thus the separate categories. To extend that logic, one would
have to presume that SO2R is also an advantage. Otherwise, who would go
to the expense and trouble of TWO radios and TWO antennas, etc, etc if
it WASN'T an advantage? People ain't stupid and they aren't going to go
to all that trouble and expense for nothing (or if they could do just as
well with a single radio).
If you don't think SO2R is an advantage, let me field a proposal: How
about the converse of the BARTG "Expert" class? Call it "Basic" or
non-expert or whatever. One radio, low power, non-gain antenna (vertical
or dipole). Just what the average ham would use. This may even bring
more people to contesting as they would feel they have a chance to be
competitive.
73/Carter/K8VT
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