SS rules in QST ???

[JGellerRVZ at aol.com]

N3KKM queries:

>How soon before a contest are the "real" rules updated at info at arrl?
>The "other" rules are in Dec QST already.  I just requested JANVHF.RLS
>for the upcoming January VHF contest and they are still the rules for the
>1995 contest.  It even has the 1995 dates, as do the rules for the RTTY
>contest and the ARRL DX contest.

Well they must update them at least 10 days before the contest.  I pulled the
160M contest rules and summary sheet on 23NOV95 it has the correct dates
(I got the two responses before all the other mail had been dowloaded [approx
4.5 minutes]).  Besides, when was the last time there was a major change in
the ARRL sponsored contest rules.  When they added bonus points for working
the
Novices/Techs?  Although those points are out the door since they pushed the
no code license down our throats (but that was another thread!). In the end,
though, I have never had a problem receiving an answer from the automated
server.

Although, as Lyndon and others observe:

>The ARRL folks are still, for the most part, Internet challenged.

Not just challenged, but BRAIN-DEAD!  Earlier this year when I emailed a
discrepancy to the DXCC desk (I have yet to send in a DXCC update that
is error free), I specifically requested an email response to help straighten
the mess out quickly.  Two months later I got my answer via snail-mail.  This
has happened every time I sent an email, expecting an email back.  If you
folks
are sending your complaints via email, forget it.  I don't think the people
at
ARRL know how to send a response the same way (or maybe the problem is they
don't know how to download it).

Yes, I guess we will have to play the game by requesting the rules through
the info at arrl.org route (hoping that the BARC keeps the rules updated)...


Jeff N6RVZ

>From MICHAEL P ROSS <mp_ross at alcor.concordia.ca>  Sat Nov 25 13:11:47 1995
From: MICHAEL P ROSS <mp_ross at alcor.concordia.ca> (MICHAEL P ROSS)
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 1995 08:11:47 -0500 (EST)
Subject: SS SSB VE2CUA & Collegiate Championship
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.951125071951.504A-100000 at alcor.concordia.ca>

 Call:      VE2CUA
 Class:     B
 Section:   PQ
 Score:     196,812
 Q's:       1278
 Multi's:   77
 Hours Wrkd:22


BAND         QSO          QSO PTS      SECTIONS

160           0              0            -
 80         510           1020            -
 40         504           1008            - 
 20         118            236            -
 15         146            292            -
 10           0              0            -

Totals     1278           2556           77

            Score:   196,812


Power Output: KW     Hours of operation: 22

Operator List: VE2DUB,VE2JNK,VE2ARW,VE2KWA,VE2TRN

Equipment Description: Concordia University Amateur Radio Club

15/20 IC745 LK550 KT34XA @ 16th Floor Roof + 32 Ft.
40/80 TS440 L4B   3 el 40m yagi @ 15th Floor Roof + 56 Ft.  
                  80m dipole @ 15th Floor Roof + 56 Ft.
                         

Should have stayed on later Saturday night to operate the full 24 hours
while the activity was high and spent more time on 15 and 20. Put a 160
meter sloper up Saturday morning but didn't get it tuned in time for the
contest. Gave quite a few last sections for clean sweeps but still missed 
callers below the QRM.


>From w7ni at teleport.com (Stan Griffiths)  Sat Nov 25 13:59:47 1995
From: w7ni at teleport.com (Stan Griffiths) (Stan Griffiths)
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 1995 05:59:47 -0800
Subject: Contest Rules
Message-ID: <199511251359.FAA06120 at desiree.teleport.com>

>    Stan> If you want the REAL
>    Stan> RULES, you have to get them some other way.
>
>Is this stated in the version published to QST? (Needless to say, I
>don't subscribe to it.)  I gather not, in which case the ARRL just
>blew it big time.

Yes.  Actually, it is stated that you have to get them another way and it
tells you several ways to do it.  Apparently, some of those ways don't
always work.

>If the ARRL is worried about the rules scaring off the newcomers
>then maybe there are too many rules? If the ARRL feels
>contests such as the SS don't fit into their mandate of feeding
>Pablum(tm) to the mindless, then they no longer have any business
>sponsoring SS and should hand it over to an organization that's capable
>of promoting the contest without embarrassment.
>
>--lyndon

It turns out that I am not at all serious about contesting anymore or I
would be REALLY UPSET by this.

Imagine this:  The League writes a "reader friendly" contest announcement
that successfully attracts a bunch of newcomers.  One of them works his butt
off and accidentally wins an award, but because he only read the "friendly"
annoucement, he unknowingly violated a rule and gets disqualified.  You have
just turned a potential future contester into a bitter enemy . . .  On the
other hand, supposing you DON'T disqualify him?  How many enemies does THAT
create?

I think this "reader friendly" contest announcement idea needs to be re-thought.

Stan  W7NI at teleport.com