[CQ-Contest] For $0.99 you get... [was: SS Packet DANGER, DANGER, Will Robinson!!!]

[Michael Coslo]

On Nov 19, 2006, at 6:42 PM, Bill Turner wrote:

> ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
>
> On Sun, 19 Nov 2006 07:39:20 -0600, "Robert Naumann" <w5ov at w5ov.com>
>  wrote:
>
>> The rule says:
>>
>> 	2.1.1. Use of spotting assistance or nets (operating arrangements
>> involving other individuals, DX-alerting nets, packet, Internet,  
>> etc) 	is
>> not permitted.
>>
>> Let me point out the key words in that rule that make this very  
>> clear:
>>
>> 	OPERATING ARRANGEMENTS
>
> ------------ REPLY FOLLOWS ------------
>
> I take it to mean that the words in parentheses are there to clarify
> what is meant by "nets" only, not to "spotting assistance" AND "nets".
> If the author had wanted the clarification to refer to both, he would
> have phrased it like this:
>
> "Use of spotting assistance or nets, both of which include operating
> arrangements involving other individuals, DX-alerting nets, packet,
> Internet, etc, is not permitted."
>
> Since he didn't word it that way, "spotting assistance" stands alone
> as does "nets" together with its clarification in parentheses.
>
> Granted, it is poorly written and open to misinterpretation. A
> revision is badly needed.

	The first thing to go would be that "etc"!

	All anyone has to do is plug in their slightly related "condition"  
and apply it to the rule.

But let's look at what the rule means.

	The rule is there to disallow the use of methods of figuring out who  
is where, in  order to gain a competitive advantage over stations not  
using those methods. The rule does state what isn't allowed. That is  
the idea behind the rule.

	Now we go on to questions:

	If someone tells me that such and such is 10 KHz up, is that spotting?

	That is not in the intent of the rules. That does not confer any  
particular advantage to the Op. If we are going to call that  
assisted, we'll need to get VERY specific. Is the use of a bandscope  
on radios such as the IC-756 in the Assisted category? You're not  
getting specific callsigns, but it does tell you where traffic is.  
How about mailing lists where people say they will be operating from  
such and such place?

	Sounds ludicrous, eh? Such is the results when we play "bust the  
rules".

	Much better to read the rule as no packet spotting, No Internet  
spotting, no net spotting. If further clarification is needed, an  
addition can be made that  if you use any * organized *  method that  
is designed to inform you of where other Amateurs are operating in  
the contest is used, it changes your class.

IOW, when another Amateur tells you that so and so is running at  
another frequency, it is not an organized function, and you are under  
no penalty to either ignore or act on that information.

	Otherwise we get into endless weird "what if" loops.



-73 de Mike KB3EIA -