[CQ-Contest] M/S band change rule in ARRL DX?

[Ron Notarius WN3VAW]

Rick,

I agree with you that the NCCC M/S rule makes more sense and is a little
more practical, IMHO, than the current ARRL M/S rule.

It's too late to do anything about it for this contest season, with only the
ARRL DX Phone coming up -- you don't want to have different rules for each
mode of the contest.  But, why not propose to the CAC this change for next
season (2004-05)?

In other words, let's not kvetch about the situation, let's see if we can
get it fixed or changed to something better!

73, ron wn3vaw

"Life is pain... anyone who says otherwise is selling something"
--The Princess Bride

----- Original Message -----
Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2004 21:48:40 -0800
From: Rick Tavan <tavan at tibco.com>
To: CQ-Contest Post <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] M/S band change rule in ARRL DX?

M/S band change restrictions such as ARRL's create a lame category in
which the scoring potential for multiple operators in a given time span
is lower than the scoring potential for one operator. This because one
operator can chase mults to heart's content, especially if equipped for
SO2R, but two or more ops are constrained by the band change limitation
even if only one op is in control of the station (or even present in the
building!) at a time. Recognizing this idiocy, NCCC changed the M/S
category in the California QSO Party to allow unlimited band changes but
requiring an operator to remain in control of the station for at least
ten minutes before any other operator can make a contact. This is a far
better solution to the "octopus problem" that the original ten minute
rule and its derivatives were intended to solve. I sure hope that the
other contest sponsors follow suit some day.

BTW, with the NCCC rule Multi-Single is not only an exciting and
competitive category, comparable to single-op, but also an ideal
training environment for less experienced contesters and their mentors.

For the lawyers out there: Yes, the NCCC rule depends more on honor than
the "checkable" ARRL rule. But so do power limitations, rubber clock
prohibitions and other details. We decided that fun and  competitiveness
trump reduction of suspicion.

/Rick N6XI

Jim Idelson wrote:

>Tonno,
>
>M/S and M/2 are great categories in DX contesting. They both require even
more
>strategic thinking and teamwork than single-op and multi-multi.
>
______________________________________________
CQ-Contest mailing list
CQ-Contest at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest