Steve-
I think you may be over-thinking this.
A rover vehicle can only transport one station, whether or not the
operators are related.
A radio can only be associated with one call, unless operators are
related to each other.
73,
Sean Kutzko, KX9X
Contest Branch Manager
ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio
225 Main Street
Newington CT 06111-1494
Telephone: 860-594-0232
Fax: 860-594-0259
email:skutzko@arrl.org
________________________________
From: k4gun@comcast.net [mailto:k4gun@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 12:51 PM
To: Kutzko, Sean, KX9X; vhfcontesting@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Rovers, the Family Rule, and Other Stations
Issues
Thank you Sean. I would like to ask a follow up. Please understand
that I am not asking this as a way of looking for ways around the rules.
I've been careful lately to be very conservative about this so I ask
this only for general information.
Rule 2.3.1 seems to make a distinction between a "rover" and a "rover
vehicle". The rule seems to allow a "rover vehicle" to carry more than
one "rover" if the people in the vehicle are related. Inside that
vehicle, could be two licensed individuals, using different
transmitters, antennas and operating in a contest with different
callsigns. As long as those two people only operated with their
designated equipment and calls, it appears that the rule does not forbid
them from contacting each other for score.
Because rule 2.3.1 is discussing the vehicle and not the transmitter
gear, the reference to rule 3.5 under general rules doesn't make sense.
Rule 3.5 is about sharing of transmitter gear and not where that gear is
located.
Let's look at it another way. If a family is operating out of their
home, and they had different radios and antennas, could they contact
each other for score? Is the physical structure over their heads
considered part of the station?
The spirit of the "family rule" is obviously to allow immediate family
to share operating gear in a contest. The way 2.3.1 is worded, it looks
as if the vehicle could be the only shared gear. It would be similar to
two friends driving to the same locations during a contest but because
the two people in question are family, they would be allowed to share a
ride. At least that's how this rookie read it.
Again, please believe me that I'm not looking to get around this. My
girlfriend will be my co-operator for June under my callsign. The more
I look at it, the more I realize that the current wording could be
exploited. Based on the responses here, it looks like this hasn't been
done yet so maybe its not a concern.
Steve
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Kutzko, Sean, KX9X" <kx9x@arrl.org>
> Hi folks-
>
>
> The Rules for All ARRL Contests on Bands above 50 MHz state:
>
> "2.3.1. A rover vehicle may transport only one station using a
single
> call sign. An exception is provided for in "General Rules for
All ARRL
> Contests" number 3.5 (Family Rule)."
>
> The Unlimited Rover category is subject to Rule 2.3.1.
>
>
>
> As to the Family Rule (General Rules for all ARRL Contests
3.5), I am
> sorry, the person you are dating does not qualify for the
Family Rule
> exception.
>
> "3.5. A transmitter used to contact one or more stations may
not be
> subsequently used under any other call during the contest
period, except
> for family stations where mo re than one call has been issued,
and then
> only if the second call sign is used by a different operator.
(The
> intent of this rule is to accommodate family members who must
share a
> rig and to prohibit manufactured or artificial contacts.)"
>
> In addition, all rover categories are subject to Rule 2.3.2,
which
> states: "2.3.2. A rover may not operate with more than one
call sign."
> According to the new rover rules they are only exempted from
rules
> 2.3.3 and 2.3.8.
>
>
>
>
> As far as the question of an Unlimited Rover working their own
operators
> on bands above 2.3 GHz, the rover categories are completely
different
> from the Multioperator categories. The Contest-specific rule
being
> referenced reads:
>
> " 7.3. Multi-operator stations may not include QSOs with their
own
> operators except on frequencies higher than 2.3 GHz. Even
then, a
> complete, different station (transmitter, receiver and
antenna) must
> exist for each QSO made under these conditions."
>
> It applies only to the two Multioperator categories, not the
rover
> categories. In addition, while multioperator stations can work
their
> own operators on bands above 2.3 GHz by that rule, you can't
simply
> "pass radios" around to one another. General Rule for All ARRL
Contests
> 3.5 quoted above clearly states a radio used under one
callsign during a
> contest may not be used under any other call for the duration
the even,
> with the exception of the 'family rule'.
>
>
>
> 73,
>
> Sean Kutzko, KX9X
> Contest Branch Manager
>
> ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio
> 225 Main Street
> Newington CT 06111-1494
> Telephone: 860-594-0232
> Fax: 860-594-0259
> email:skutzko@arrl.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> VHFcontesting mailing list
> VHFcontesting@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
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