[CQ-Contest] Sweepstakes: Should I be penalized for getting my license in 2000?

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

Jeff, FWIW, you are absolutely correct.  That's what the rules say, that's
what's supposed to be done.

The reality is that some people don't follow that rule.  Some like K0HB (not
to pick on him, but he did own up to it, which is more than a lot do) change
it each year -- or even between CW & Phone -- so that you have to actually
copy it, not "remember" it via a software database of one sort or another.
Some go with the year they got a particular call, or were relicensed, or
whatever.  Some club station ops go with the year THEY were first licensed,
not the year the CLUB was first licensed... or the year the club got their
current call, etc. and so forth.

The reality is that the log checkers at ARRL may not have a way of knowing
what year you were first licensed, and since they don't consider that
significant, they instead ensure that if I say I worked you, my log shows
the check you sent, whatever it is.

I could just imagine the outcry if they DQ'd or check logged a decent number
of logs on the grounds that they sent the wrong check.  Wonder how many
contesters would threaten to sue?  (BTW, I know a great lawyer, and he's
licensed, too... but I digress).  So I doubt that it would happen.

We should not be disregarding the rules, but the reality is that this one
isn't strictly enforced, if at all.

73, ron w3wn

-----Original Message-----
Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 18:45:27 -0500
From: "Jeff Maass" <jmaass at k8nd.com>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Sweepstakes: Should I be	penalized
	forgettingmylicense in 2000?
To: "'Zack Widup'" <w9sz at prairienet.org>, "'John Geiger'"
	<johngeig at yahoo.com>
Cc: 'Shelby Summerville' <k4ww at arrl.net>,	'CQ-Contest'
	<CQ-Contest at contesting.com>

Zack:

So, we can disregard specific rules when we want?

It's says "Last two digits of the year first licensed." If you select a
number combination that's easier to send or copy without errors, you are in
violation of the rules, and I would argue should your entry should be placed
in the "checklog" pile without fail.

To do otherwise would be to encourage "gaming" the rules. Everyone might
pick "73" for a check.

(I'll be active in Phone SS from the Very Rare section "Southern Netherlands
Antilles
(SNA)".

73,  Jeff  K8ND

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Zack Widup
> Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 6:14 PM
> To: John Geiger
> Cc: Shelby Summerville; CQ-Contest
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Sweepstakes: Should I be penalized
> forgettingmylicense in 2000?
>
>
> The section where you are located is used as a multiplier in
> calculating your score.
>
> The check is not used in calculating your score; it is just a
> number you need to copy accurately as it was sent.  It
> doesn't even enter into a category in comparing scores, as
> the "A", B"", "Q" etc. are. So it is in fact just a number
> and as far as I'm concerned just needs to be copied
> accurately. The  only impact it cold have on your score is
> when you don't copy it correctly.
>
> Maybe we should change this; in addition to a clean sweep,
> you could get a mug for copying all years in the check from
> say 1920 to 2006.  :-)
>
> 73, Zack W9SZ
>
> On Wed, 8 Nov 2006, John Geiger wrote:
>
> > Exactly.  Why not just change the section you send every year.  I
> > would probably get alot more calls sending NT or NL than OK.
> >
> > 73s John W5TD
> >
> > --- Shelby Summerville <k4ww at arrl.net> wrote:
> >
> > > K0HB wrote; "Check variable from year to year"
> > >
> > > IMHO, unless the "last two digits of the year you were first
> > > licensed);" is also "variable",  there is no option in
> the rules for
> > > the check to be "variable"?
> > >
> > > >From the rules: "4.4. Check (the last two digits of
> > > the year you were first
> > > licensed);"
> > >
> > > C'Ya, Shelby - K4WW