[CQ-Contest] When and why did rules change?

[Jon Ogden]

> Right! It's interesting to note that a Rhombic or V-Beam would be
> allowed, since they are single-element, but a OWA dipole would not.
>
> Which raises an interesting question -- is a multi-band dipole (ie one
> with elements for one or more of 160, 80, 40) fed with the same feedline
> disqualifying? It certainly has multiple elements....
>

Ah, but there is a twist here.  If my dipole works (which it does) on
80,40,30,17, and 12 meters, only ONE element is really active per band.
When I operate on 40 meters, the 80 meter portion is trapped out and the
elements that are for the other bands and not of proper electrical length
for 40 meters so they can really be ignored for all practical purposes since
they aren't resonant elements.  The additional "elements" certainly don't
enhance the performance of the antenna, but rather probably make the
performance a little worse if anything.  There is no tactical advantage to
using them.

73,

Jon
NA9D



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>From Ron Wetjen <wd4ahz at arrl.net>  Fri May  5 23:25:34 2000
From: Ron Wetjen <wd4ahz at arrl.net> (Ron Wetjen)
Date: Fri, 05 May 2000 22:25:34 +0000
Subject: [CQ-Contest] When and why did rules change?
References: <FU3GO2$IlncqXMl2WfuuNt1SOy0jveubjfEaThNeW3ku5 at iol.it>
Message-ID: <39134A5E.B4DC7D92 at gte.net>


"i4jmy at iol.it" wrote:

> In my eyes, the fashion/custom to follow and sectionalyze (stretch?)
> words to deduct rules in own preferable way looks more appropriate to
> attorneys than to contesters. Already more than 2000 years ago it was
> known, and judged, that any law has a "word" (like it's just written)
> and a "spirit" (how it has to be interpretated).
> I stay that TS spirit was oriented to allow the competition among
> people using the typical antenna arrays of constrained locations were
> monobanders or long wave antennas are out of any discussion.

Well said!

We all know EXACTLY what the intent and spirit of the T/S category is
... a typical 3 element triband yagi and dipole/vertical, usually in a
limited space  - the majority of Amateur stations.

We should be concerned with the intent and spirit of the rule as
written, instead of wasting time trying to find ways around it.

If you can't compete with the big boys with your rhombics, V-beams,
loops, or other multi-wavelength antennas, by all means, put up a
tribander and dipole/vertical and join the T/S crowd.  But please don't
try to bring those antennas to the party, and fudge with the intent and
spirit of the rules in order to claim to be one of the T/S crowd.

73, Ron

3 El tribander @ 37'
Center Fed Zepp @ 35'
100 Watts from a suburban lot

A "true" T/S and proud of it!

-- 
One of the W1AW/4 Crew - IARU/WRTC-2000  July 8-9, 2000

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