I had some original concerns about this type of contesting, primarily
because I was having to compete in the same class. We've now separated the
classes so folks doing this are either in the unlimited rover category or
they have a limit of 100 contacts. If Wayne and his friends are having fun
and it's not messing with the scores/rank of those doing what we might
consider more traditional roving, what's the problem?
Everyone has different motivations in contesting. Some chase the score,
some the DX, some do it just for the friendship and fun. I guess if folks
are going to complain about this type of operating, rather than complain
that AT&T might find out that we are grid circling (as if they would know or
care), I'd like to hear how this specifically bothers your operating style
or enjoyment of the contest. To point to an unknown third party and state
that they might not approve if they knew seems disingenuous ...
Calls for Wayne and company to publish logs has come and gone and Wayne did
publish his logs a few years back. He made lots of other contacts outside
of his group.
I don't know Wayne personally, but I would like to ask a question those that
are concerned about his operating style: when was the last time you got
someone involved in roving or microwave contesting that became confident
enough to take a 10-band station in a car a few days after getting a license
and make a bunch of contacts?
I just don't think it's necessary that we all like everyone else's operating
style or reasons to have fun. Heck I think the guys that put a radio on
stilts in the South Pacific to put a rock with a callsign on the air are
sorta nuts. I'm not fond of talking to all of the locals on the 2m repeater
about the weather and their plans for the weekend. But I don't think we
should forbid them from doing those things ...
73,
Steve, N5AC
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 09:00:50 -0800
From: frank bechdoldt <k3uhf@hotmail.com>
Subject: [VHFcontesting] Lunch box roving
To: <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>, <w7dhc@earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <BAY111-W54B3E5CBE0A2F39E079E3FECBC0@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
What does it accomplish when a bunch of hams borrow one of 8 millionaire?s
lunch box stations and activate the bands by repetitively contacting each
other?
The ARRL uses contests to create activity to justify the frequency
allocations we now enjoy. I would imagine that a group of 8 rovers in 3
roving categories could generate about 25 percent of the total QSOs of the
entire QSO count of the whole contest.
If Verizon, AT&T, ect? knew that the ARRL is using data collected from the
use of Wayne?s lunchboxes to block them from purchasing this spectrum they
would have a legal field day.
Their posting http://www.arrl.org/contests/soapbox/?con_id=171 proves what I
have said all along. The only way to fix the roving system is to disallow
rover to rover contacts unless both rovers are unlimited. Otherwise Wayne
is going to keep buying more lunch boxes find more people we have never seen
in our VHF log books to complete larger teams and stick his finger in the
ARRL?s and VUAC?s eye.
That being said, if this was done only in the unlimited class, it would be
appropriate and quite remarkable. But I think by buying 8 lunch boxes Wayne
and handing some of them off to repeater operators is his way of saying the
current system is broken too.
I only hope that his effort converted some FMer to true weak signal work. In
fact if he was truly concerned in boosting the activity levels e would let
those operators mount the equipment at their home QTH?s. Otherwise this
contest has turned into a function of Wayne?s ego.
If I'm wrong, publish the logs.
k3uhf
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 12:18:59 -0500
From: Steve Clifford <k4gun.r@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Lunch box roving
To: frank bechdoldt <k3uhf@hotmail.com>
Cc: w7dhc@earthlink.net, vhfcontesting@contesting.com
Message-ID:
<cf8c8bec0902090918qdb12bf0tedb256f64406267a@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
I agree completely, but would also add a few comments (surprise, right?
LOL). This practice is no different than what the multi-op contest groups
do. In a large contest club, its usually a few key guys that buy, maintain,
set up and test all the equipment. Those guys are really the ones who do
all the heavy lifting. On contest weekend, the rest of the club shows up to
operate the radios. Its a remarkable feat. They do a great job of
coordinating between stations. They have superior stations, a good plan and
make a lot of noise.
They also have a great time. There is often a camaraderie that is not known
to single op guys. Its fun. Its also a great education for those that are
new to the contesting scene.
There is also nothing at all wrong with it. The multi-op stations compete
against other multi-op stations. The rules were well thought out to
segregate multi-ops from single ops. A single op guy can't make contacts
with a multi-op group if he later operates with that multi-op group.
To me, it just indicates that the rules just need a little more tweaking to
make sure multi-op groups are not put into the same category as lone
rovers. Let the multi-op grid group have their fun. I have nothing against
them at all, except that they have exposed a weakness in the current rules.
I have more thoughts on this and I'll share them in due course. The N6NB
soapbox really made a few things very clear to me and I just need to
organize a few more thoughts on it.
Steve
K4GUN/R
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