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Re: Topband: November 30-December 2 -- ARRL 160 Meter Contest

To: Eddy Swynar <deswynar@xplornet.ca>
Subject: Re: Topband: November 30-December 2 -- ARRL 160 Meter Contest
From: Herb Schoenbohm <herbs@vitelcom.net>
Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2012 10:47:59 -0400
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Eddy,

I heard back from a few CAC members that said they are only "tasked" by HQ employees who determine certain issues passed down to the CAC by HQ. Which means that the motto "of, for, and by the amateur radio operator" may have been replaced as well. They recommended writing the regional directors redress my grievance few if any are active in contests.

Herb, KV4FZ




On 11/30/2012 10:07 AM, Eddy Swynar wrote:
On 2012-11-29, at 6:15 PM, Herb Schoenbohm wrote:

Again this weekend the ARRL presents the worst and most unfair 160 meter competition ever 
devised.  I must sound like a broken record on this problem but I have sent letters and e 
mail to members of the CAC to asked them to allow the US Territories to be what they are 
"DX" as it is impossible to even get listed for an effort that if I was treat 
like VP2V which I can see from my house, I would at least have a chance, in fact i would 
have come in first lace in the past few years as a DX station.  The CAC, the few who will 
write me back, say that any changes to rectify a totally unfair contest, is out of their 
hands and decided by a special secretive group inside the ARRL, who are not contesters at 
all. BTW for the purpose of this contest KP2 is counted the same as Navassa and Puerto 
Rico counts as Desecheo. Now how is that for a totally nonsensical approach.  Maybe you 
could demand Navassa credit on 160 after working me, but I really doubt that the DX desk 
will be amused.  I
n
   the Pacific, Guam and Hawaii all count the same as KH8 and KH8S in the vast 
Pacific region thousands of miles apart.  None have even a chance to do well 
with the decks stacked against them.  So they just don't participate at all.
I had thought that in protest this year I would phase my Beverages on Europe 
and only listen to help out those who need the Virgin islands on 160.  Yet out 
of my concern for showing good sportsmanship I will work anyone I can hear.  
But there is a request I have in return:  If I work you and give you the rare 
VI section, please take a few minutes after the contest to send an E mail to 
your division Director and copy the members of the CAC about fixing this long 
lingering unfairness.  The E mail addresses are available on the ARRL website.  
The message is simple DX must be counted as DX as the VI, PR and all the other 
U.S. Territories are in their other DX contests.

Also Gary, KD9SV has a great write up in QST but only is given two pages and 
can't mention the efforts of only a few east coast big guns.  No matter how 
hard I try there is no way a station outside of the 48 states can even get 
mentioned.  ARRL Field Day has a write up that is 13 pages long.  So one can 
think that 160 meters is still an after thought and those I try to reach out to 
at HQ really don't care.  Maybe i should get a bigger thrill out of working 
someone in SJV or SB or whatever but DX is DX and if the ARRL whats to have a 
160 meter DX contest, this is not a good example of one.  It never has been.

Cheers, Good luck and I will reluctantly see you in the contest.


Hi Herb,

Your note reminded me of last year, when both you and (I believe) 
Frank---V01HP---expressed frustration with the Contest Advisory Committee at 
the ARRL...

At that time, I established a dialogue with one of the committee members who 
was situated in western Canada: as I recall, Frank had success in expressing 
his concerns to him, but I don't recall the outcome of your efforts. Did you, 
in fact, make a connection to the CAC through that particular window of 
opportunity...?

If, in fact, you did establish contact with the liaison, it surprises me that 
the ARRL has been so inactive in addressing your concerns this way...in fact, 
it is a MAJOR disappointment, in light of past performance on their part years 
ago.

~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ

PS: I am wondering now how Frank made-out with his concerns...? Are you reading 
this, Frank...?
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