[CQ-Contest] M/Ms spotting from home and by friends

[Ron Notarius WN3VAW]

On the one hand, a simple rule change to prohibit mass-spotting might be in
order.  On the other, enforcing it could prove difficult, and someone
determined enough would find a way around it.  And penaling the M/S or M/M
station for mass spotting could backfire -- there are those who'd do it just
to get someone DQ'd.

Probably best to express displeasure at this antic in forums like this one,
and hope the offenders will not do so in the future.

73, ron wn3vaw

"You are a fluke of the Universe
You have no right to be here
And whether you can hear it or not,
The Universe is laughing behind your back"
-- National Lampoon's Deteriorata

----- Original Message ----- Message: 6
Date: Sat, 09 Mar 2002 16:20:15 -0600
From: Kelly Taylor <autonews at shaw.ca>
To: cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: [CQ-Contest] M/Ms spotting from home and by friends

Hi,

It would seem to me that a few rules speak to this issue:

The first is the reference to station location and the requirement that all
equipment, including antennas, be located on the station owner's property or
within a 500-foot radius, whichever is greater.

If you participate in activities for the benefit of your M/M effort from
your home either as part of a M/M team or as a friend of an operator in the
Caribbean (different residence than station), is this rule not then being
violated?

Another is the rule that in various forms essentially says that an operator
can use only one call for the contest. Now, in fairness, I think this rule
is applied according to situation: in other words an operator who leaves the
station to pick up food then calls back on 2m for directiosn to the pizzaria
would be fine, if technically in violation.

I think someone who goes home and uses his call to pad the packet spots
would invite enforcement.

I also think that depending on how the request was made, the prohibition
against using non-amateur means to solicit contacts may also apply.

So yes, I'd have to say the practice of encouraging others to spot you
violates rules on a few levels.

But I don't see how pre-contest publicity violates any rule, especially
given the long-standing practice of DX-pedition anouncements.

73, kelly
ve4xt