[CQ-Contest] CK in ARRL SS

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

A solution that only a lawyer could love:

  4    Exchange: The required exchange consists of:
  ~
  4.4. Check
  4.4.a.  Single Operators
  4.4.a.1.   Operating from their own station, or as a guest operator under
their own call: the last two digits of the year you were first licensed.
  4.4.a.2.    Operating as a guest operator under another individual
operators call:  the last two digits of the year the station owner was first
licensed
  4.4.a.3.    Operating as a guest operator under a club call sign:  the
last two digits of the year the club or club predeccesor was first licensed
  4.4.b.  Multi Operator stations
  4.4.b.1   Non-club groups:  the last two digits of the year the station
owner was first licensed
  4.4.b.2.  Club stations:  the last two digits of the year the club or club
predeccesor was first licensed.
  4.4.b.2.a.  If the club was formed from the combination of two or more
clubs over the years, the first year of license of the "surviving"
organization should be used.  If it was a true merger with neither of the
original organizations "surviving," the club may use the year of the merger,
or the year that the oldest predecessor club was first licensed,
  4.4.c.    Exceptions:
  4.4.c.1.  If an individual operator lacks documentation to specifically
identify the year of first license, or if that individual operator does not
recall the year of first license, he or she should use their best reasonable
guess to identify the year of first license.
  4.4.c.2.  If a club station lacks documentation to specifically identify
the year of first license for the club or it's predecessors, or there are
more than one eligible predeccesro clubs or equivalent entities, the station
trustee or other officer of the club should use their best reasonable guess
to identify the year of first license.
  4.4.c.3.  If an individual or club has in good faith selected what they
reasonably assume to be their best guess as to the year of first license,
and they find out in the course of the contest that this information might
be inaccurate, they are to continue using the same check that they began the
contest with to avoid discrepancies with stations who have already contacted
them.
  4.4.c.4.  If an individual or club learns (as noted in 4.4.c.3 above) that
they used the wrong check in the CW portion of the contest, they should use
the correct check in the SSB portion of the contest.

-------
Now, do we REALLY need to get THAT detailed in the description of how to
determine the check?

Yes, I'm disappointed that my old college club has used the "wrong" check
because the kids up there don't know the club history, but I'll live.  At
least they're making a good faith effort to stay within the rules.

But I disagree with this notion of "just pick two digits at random" as that
is not within the spirit, if not the letter, of the rules.  That it isn't
enforced is beside the point; you are expected to use good amateur practice
when operating, and that means (IMHO, YMMV) staying within the spirit if not
the letter of the rules.

73, ron w3wn

-----Original Message-----
Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2007 10:06:18 -0800 (PST)
From: Jim Reisert AD1C <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] CK in ARRL SS
To: Steve Harrisonusa <k0xp at dandy.net>,	Jim Reisert AD1C
	<jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>
Cc: rneece at bwsm.com, CQ Contest <cq-contest at contesting.com>,
	contest at arrl.org

--- Steve Harrisonusa <k0xp at dandy.net> wrote:

> Sorry, doesn't fly with me. The rule is already perfectly clear: THE YEAR
> THE STATION WAS FIRST LICENSED.
>
> What's to misunderstand about that???????

Steve, the rule is NOT clear:

http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2007/novss.html

  4    Exchange: The required exchange consists of:
  4.4. Check (the last two digits of the year you were first licensed);

Who is "you" at a multi-op station?

73 -  Jim AD1C


--
Jim Reisert AD1C/?, <jjreisert at alum.mit.edu>, http://www.ad1c.us