[CQ-Contest] ARRL DX Contest Rules W/VE

[sawyered@earthlink.net]

I agree with Bob, KQ2M, and have thought so for years.  In makes absolutely no sense for Ws and VEs to be "competing" in the same category with the different phone rules on 80/40/20/15.  It wouldn't change the contest to have the Ws and VEs be competing in sep categories any more than High Power or Low power.  Keep the format (W/VE works DX) just accept that it isn't fair to be able to run EU on 7090 or 14145 when most if the rest of your competitors can't.  If you think it is, then think about what your response would be if I petitioned the FCC to get temporary permission to transmit phone from 7040 - 7100 and was the only W with such permission going into the 2006 ARRL DX Phone contest.  Should I be banned from competing if I use this advantage?  Of course.  Its no different here.

Don't constrain the VE's from using their more liberal phone privledges (never understood why they can do that in our region anyway), just accept it and accomidate in the rules.  Otherwise, might as well add WP2Z and KH7X to the W/VE category as well.

Ed  N1UR