Good summary Les. I can't see any way to bring yesterday back especially
when it concerns technology. I have a garage full of RF PacketCluster stuff
that I sort of wish I hadn't invested in years ago but I can take pride in
the fact that it has grown into something very much a standard tool,
especially on HF today. There are many guys who don't know how to or don't
care to tune up their DX without the internet cluster.
Spotting networks were originally developed by contester's for contester's.
The other non contest uses were a side benefit pretty much. Sites like Ping
Jockey support a new technology that would probably be marginally useful
without some coordination site unless there were a whole bunch more WSMS
stations on than are on now. Les hit the nail on the head I think. Deal with
it and move on. There is room for everyone's nitch. I'm not sure how to deal
with the cheaters...is that a new class perhaps? :-)
73, Jon
K6EL
CM99br
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:58:41 -0600
From: "Les Rayburn" <les@highnoonfilm.com>
Subject: [VHFcontesting] Assisted Classes
To: <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Message-ID: <C1ED25886247444DAD335B87809F73B8@OwnerPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
It reminds me of Oppenheimer's analogy about the Atomic Age. The "genie is
out of the bottle". Web clusters, spotting networks, Twitter updates, etc.
are here and nothing will change that.
The ARRL can't police these sites, because they don't own them.
It seems to be that retaining the notion of an "unassisted class" is wishful
thinking. Many of us long for days gone by, filled with comic books, and
pinball machines, and rotary telephones. But those days are gone. You can
surround yourself with mementos of those days, or stubbornly refuse to use
that new touch tone phone, but it won't bring that world back.
In any contest, people can and will use whatever means are at their disposal
to win. Yes, most of us will follow the rule and take pride in the fact that
we didn't act dishonorably to win 5th place or crack the Top Ten. But there
are others who "win at any cost" will always be the order of the day.
The ARRL has to be realistic about their ability to enforce the rules of any
contest, and try to make it as fair as possible for everyone involved. It's
clear that they cannot effectively enforce many of the rules that involve
the use of spotting networks. So why not just admit that Genie is out of the
bottle. Allow assistance in the form of spotting networks, and move on.
This levels the playing field, and operators add another tool to their
shack. In the end, the best operators will still prevail, as they usually
do. Yes, it changes the game--and we'll mourn the passing of a simpler time,
when a operator could sit alone in a room, disconnected from the outside
world save for their radio.
But life and technology marches on.
73,
Les Rayburn, N1LF
EM63nf
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