So what is the difference if I build a station for $100,000 or I rent
one for whatever it costs? Nothing. I guess the guy that can't climb
towers who has to pay someone else to climb it and fix his stuff should
be shoved into another category too?
I must have missed what is the big prize for #1 Honor roll? A plaque?
I hope that you feel good about yourself because of other things not
because you managed to work them all. As I said before #1 has been at
it longer, has better stuff and plays radio more and probably is located
in a better location.
CQ has a competition every year and I get that. It starts over every
year and it is a rush to work as many as you can. Once again the
winners will have great stations and tons of time. Congrats to the
winners. I think Honor Roll #1 means much more to you that have decided
to make this a strange competition that really doesn't have a start date
or and end, then it does the majority of active hams.
Bitch all you like about Remote Radio it is here to stay just like
packet and the ARRL is certainly not going to exclude anyone.
I could care less who is or is not using Remote radio. I hope more
people do as we could use more activity on the bands. I would love to
see old timers and most of the ham population are old timers now be able
to operate from nursing homes, condo's, rv's etc. I guess you would
rather them be shoved to the streets and ignored.
What you are asking for is less competition in your competition which is
a bit hypocritical isn't it? Removing players from the DXCC field
waters down your victory doesn't it?
Why would the rules change now after remotes being allowed for 50
years? Paying for a service is not even relevant to the conversation so
lets not make it one. How I get on the air is really none of your
business.
On 7/12/2015 2:47 PM, Cecil wrote:
It's obvious the DXCC award system is not important to you by your own
admission, which doesn't put you in the best of positions to be so vocal about
paid/shared remote station access and its impact on the award systems.
Call it what you will it's very competitive...in an individualized sort of way
but competitive it is.
It is a badge of honor for those passionate about such things. Yes the guy
with the $100,000 station most days has an advantage over the guy with 100
Watts and a wire...but some days the propagation Gods shine on the guy with 100
Watts and he beats the big bucks station out..also operator skill levels that
playing field as well...you learn those things when that's all you have for a
station.
Yes we have always faced those kind of challenges and no rule or class changes
were really needed. It was incentive to make your station the best it could be
within your means and to improve your operating skills.
For contesters things were a bit better as the differences in station
capability was recognized and different competitive classes were formed....so
the guy with 100 Watts and a wire could feel a sense of accomplishment by
competing with guys generally equipped like him.
In today's world where one could finally move into that swanky neighborhood
that the wife has always wanted to live but couldn't because hubby needed space
and acceptance to put up all those ugly wires, towers, antennas and such....no
worries! (That's my wife...and we still don't live there)
We can pick up a radio front panel for a song and a smokin internet connection
and just dial up whatever superstation has propagation to where the DX is today
and bag em. Just think about being able to get in on that E skip action
anytime it happens just by dialing up a station that is in the skip zone
today...and 160 DXCC...just dial around until you find a station that can hear
that rare DX station that's on tonight. The wall paper is piling up...
What's a traditional station OP to do...he's been working hard for years,
building new antennas, buying commercial products and improving his station
whenever he can, staying up late nights or getting up early mornings. An
expected normal progression for Ham Radio....he is close to finishing his DXCC
on 160 and a guy that don't even own a station...or worse owns a small station
but doesn't use it to work the hard ones, lands his first 100 on 160 in his
first year of being on the air.
He throws up his hands and says what's the point...and certainly won't be
buying any more commercial products to try and improve his station....and out
of business go more of the commercial equipment makers.
Now...
I don't have a problem with technology and its advancement...I'm a technical
guy. But the advantages that paid or even shared remote station access allows
should dictate that these OPs compete in their own class with others that are
leveraging that advantage.
The exception to this is the guy that has built his station on a remote site on
land he owns or leases for that purpose because he has noise issues he can't
overcome or he lives in the subdivision with an HOA that won't allow his
antennas, but he still wants to compete on the bands...that remote station is
his primary station...it's just a traditional station accessed remotely by its
owner...no problem....good use of today's technology.
You own property on three different coasts and one remote island and have
stations on all of them....the new DXCC/Contesting class is ready made for you
too...
I think new class structure language in the DXCC and various contest rules is
the only viable answer...
Don't limit technology, adapt to it to allow its advancement but as it evolves
allow the traditional station owner to continue to practice his kind of Ham
Radio on a traditional playing field....fact is probably 90 percent of stations
are traditional styled operations anyway.
Soap box mode OFF...
Cecil
K5DL
Sent using recycled electrons.
On Jul 12, 2015, at 2:16 PM, W0MU <w0mu@w0mu.com> wrote:
I think much of the issue with RHR is people are bent out of shape that a group
of people have jumped on this and appear to be doing quite well. Business must
be booming as they are adding new stations constantly.
Personally I have a decent station and am not interested in renting station
time.
In the end the challenge is personal. The award is whatever you make it.
DXCC is DXCC. If you feel better that you worked it from the same location
using wet noodles more power to you.
If you are chasing DX to impress other people I think you are doing it wrong. When you
focus on yourself and what you are doing then these little "issues" become non
issues.
My Dad told me a long time ago in business was to quit paying so much about the
other guy and start focusing on my business and what my strength were.
I have been a ham since 1978. Honor roll number 1 mean very little to me.
What it says is that you have either been doing this longer than me, spend more
time on the radio, have a better setup, etc. It doesn't mean that you are a
better DXer. I hear so called big DXers in pileups calling endlessly with no
clue about how pileups work etc. Lots of great DXers are in and out of a
pileup before you know it. Many of those guys may or may not have DXCC. I
waited for over 20 years to apply for DXCC and the award is still in the
tube..........
Be proud of yourself and what you have done. The watering down of the award is
in your head.
On 7/12/2015 7:32 AM, nn4t@comcast.net wrote:
Good morning. I have followed with interest the discussion on this subject. I
enjoyed hearing both sides of the issue from my fellow DXers. Most of the
replies have been both thoughtful and respectful and I thank you for that.
I thought you may find it interesting to hear a comment from the perspective of
an RHR user. Perhaps some of the others who comment also used that service
(which seems to have triggered this debate) but I don't remember seeing that. I
have been an RHR customer for two years. I have been a DXer for the entire 42
years of my amateur career. Climbing the DX Challenge ladder is my principal
goal. I have a home station focused on 6, 80 and 160. 93.5% of the entities I
need for the Challenge are on these three bands. I have a full sized quarter
wave vertical for 160 (and 8 560 ' beverages), a 4 square for 80 and a 9
element M2 at 80' for 6. The station works well and has been productive. But as
you know from 160 propagation is finicky. And for those who have not spent time
on 6, it is even more so there. I rent the RHR stations because they give me
more opportunities to work new ones for the Challenge. It is simply another
tool I use to accomplish my goal. And unless the DXCC r
u
l
es
change I will continue to do so. I appreciate, and respect, those who feel
this somehow violates the spirit of the DXCC program. I simply do not agree.
Ham radio has always had a prickly relationship with technology. On one hand we love the
cool gadgets and the hobby would die without them. On the other, it forces us to deal
with change. Anyone remember the debate about using packet clusters to work DX?
"Shooting fish in a barrel" was a common criticism of those who used that
technology. Remember when there was a move to ban from DXCC credit qsos made on a list?
I suspect remote technology is here to stay; the ARRL BOD has already spoken
once on that matter and were quite clear. What I would suggest is view this
technology as simply a tool; available to all willing to pay the fee (just like
our expensive radios, antennas, amps, etc.) . Use it or don't use it. The
choice is yours. Best, Steve, NN4T
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