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Re: [VHFcontesting] [VHF] Changes to ARRL VHF Contest Rules

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Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] [VHF] Changes to ARRL VHF Contest Rules
From: "Jim Forsyth" <mail@jimforsyth.com>
Date: Fri, 29 May 2009 07:08:21 -0700
List-post: <vhfcontesting@contesting.com">mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Steve,

I don't think you sound harsh but you are quite insulting. Mostly because 
you don't know what you are talking about. Just like K3UHF, absent any real 
facts, you simply make them up. The whole basis of your post is flawed 
because you don't really know anything about Dave (or Glenn as you have 
called him).

Jim, AF6O

> Glenn,
>
> I'm glad you posted here.  I have a few comments about what you have said
> but I want to be clear about something first.  If I sound harsh, I do not
> mean to.  I don't like what you are doing one bit, but I don't think it
> reflects upon you as a person.  With that said, I'm going to discuss some 
> of
> this:
>
> First of all, you say that you enjoy roving more than portable and that 
> you
> won your category three times.  Did you actually win them or did the guy
> that assembled the station, paid for the gear, organized the caravan,
> coordinated the schedule and did the spreadsheet to figure out when and
> where the QSO's happen?  You're not doing what the vast majority of rovers
> are doing, yet you're scores are put against the rest of us and its just 
> an
> absurd situation.
>
> This is why most of us rovers are pretty annoyed with the ARRL right now.
> They set up the Unlimited Rover category so you guys could have your fun.
> You could demonstrate some amazing feats without being in the same 
> category
> as the rest of us.  It was a good idea but one that was flawed by allowing
> too many rover to rover contacts and the ability of limited rovers to use
> the microwave bands.
>
> You made a claim that you "work everybody else first."  I am skeptical of
> that statement.  Are you willing to post your log to back that up?  What
> percentage of your QSOs were with people outside your group?  Were there
> any?
>
> A category exists for you guys.  You exploited the rules so that you could
> dominate 3 categories instead of just one.  The ARRL has tacitly approved 
> of
> this by their lack of action.  I don't like it.  I don't blame you, but I
> don't like your actions either and I do blame the ARRL for not 
> understanding
> the problem.
>
> Finally, don't kid yourself about the number of operators this will 
> affect.
> Take a quick look at the logs of the Limited Rovers and you'll see that 
> its
> pretty minimal.  For the one or two others that will be affected, there is
> always the Classic Rover.  Besides... anybody who subscribes to this
> reflector already knew the band change was coming.
>
> 73 and I really do appreciate the fact that you posted here.
>
> Steve
> K4GUN/R
> On Fri, May 29, 2009 at 1:01 AM, Dave Glenn <glenn.d@ca.rr.com> wrote:
>
>> Actually you lose much more than you would think. In your 10 grid 10 band
>> scenario there are over 100 possible combination of grids on 10 bands.
>> However many combinations are not possible due to distance or topography.
>>
>> It all gets down to different strategy works for different areas of the 
>> US.
>> It is a contest right? The object is to win.
>>
>> This topic has been beaten to death for years. Questionnaires had been
>> passed out a few years ago and a consensus was obtained. The rules
>> committee
>> seemed to put some in place and ignored others.
>>
>> As someone who has done both mountain tops and roving (I took first place
>> three times) I find roving more fun.
>>
>> What is really a shame is coming out with a rule change 3 weeks before a
>> contest. I am sure there will be many who will not be aware of the change
>> much like last year's changes. There are probably those who purchased 
>> more
>> microwave gear (good for the hobby)to get an edge on the limited category
>> who are now left with unusable gear if they still want to compete in that
>> category. I thought part of the reason for the contest was to activate 
>> the
>> more under utilized bands.
>>
>> No matter what the rules are there will always be a way to optimize your
>> score. This is strategy.
>>
>> By the way, when I go out with Paul N6DN we carry 11 or 12 bands and try 
>> to
>> work each other everywhere while working everyone else first.
>>
>> For the last 5 years there have been no mountain top operations in the
>> bottom half of the state (CA). So this June I will be on a mountain with 
>> 11
>> bands.
>> The property is owned by a ham who loves the hobby and has gone to great
>> lengths to make more bands available to more people. For his good works 
>> he
>> often gets flamed because of his high scores.
>>
>> I even had some disparaging remarks made against me when I didn't turn a
>> log
>> in last Contest. Life sometimes gets in the way and I was not able to get
>> my
>> log in on time. I did however sponsor a rover plaque knowing how much it
>> meant to me when I received my plaques.
>>
>> So make the rules and lets all play by them and enjoy the hobby.
>>
>> Dave N6TEB sometimes /R
>> 6 through 24GHz DM05 6800 ft. Hope to work you.
>>
>>
>>
>>
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