[CQ-Contest] Old topic - New Wrinkle

[Leigh S. Jones]

What would the definition of "Home Station" be?  Would that include all stations you own, or only the station that you live at as your primary residence?  If W4AN drives to his quiet hilltop QTH, does that take him out of the "Home Station" category?  Or is a home station required to be a station that you personally constructed using your own equipment and antennas?  If you hire someone to put up the antennas, does it count as a personally constructed home station?  If I drive an SUV out to the untracked desert where no one ever goes with my mobile rig and float up a balloon supported dipole, can I call it my home station?  Or does that come under the "hired gun" category?
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: TOMK5RC at aol.com 
  To: cq-contest at contesting.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 4:52 PM
  Subject: [CQ-Contest] Old topic - New Wrinkle


  I was wondering if there is strong sentiment for adding one more tally box to contest results "Single Op at Home Station?"

  Notice I said nothing about different categories, just a top ten of those who operate their own station.

  Disclaimer: I have always hosted guest ops (K5ZD, K5GN, K7BV, W4AN, NM5M, N5JJ to name a few) and very much enjoy the role of host and Station Owner, so I am not at all opposed to the practice of hired guns.

  Rationale: Speaking for my station, everything is ready when the guest op arrives. They have no interruptions, no distractions. Any equipment problems are fixed by me. We provide food at the appropriate times. They can focus only on the operating and then leave. 

  Granted, many guest ops help with antenna work and the like. Some bring their own food and drink and their own equipment.

  The issue is that when I operate at home, I still have the distractions attendant with home and business. I fix the equipment problems. I tend to family emergencies and business calls that can't wait. I deal with unannounced visitors and serve myself meals.

  Guest ops also tend to choose very well equipped stations with many antennas and superior geography (duh!) that they did not fund out of the family budget. Again, this is not sour grapes, it is just reality. In looking at recent scores in close contests like SS and NAQP, it does make a difference whether you are a guest or a resident. I don't want to change anything, just compare apples to apples, as an aside to the regular top ten box.

  Tom, K5RC
  aka W7TTT 


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