[CQ-Contest] Contest categories and technology, suggestion

[Sergey VK2IMM]

There seem to be endless debates about contest
categories on this reflector. These carry some good
ideas and at the same time they make me think whether
I should skip a year or two in taking part in major
contests.

Back to the point. IMO there are clearly two groups of
opinions with the delimiter on permitted technology
level.

To me it would be simpler if two categories were
defined the following way:

1. "Restricted" or "classic" category with a definite
set of rules on the technology type to use - for
example "skimmers", decoders, DX cluster assistance
etc are not allowed. Even a definition for SO2R or
SO1R can be made if necessary.

2. "Unrestricted" or "high tech" category if you like
- you can clearly allow most of the modern toys there
(still should be some limits, no remote receivers for
example) as long as a single operator controls them.

I can't predict which one will come up as the more
popular one but clearly both of them should get the
entrants. These might look as two current categories
we have in large contests (SO and SO assisted),
perhaps the difference is in how they are named and
defined. 

Additionally, with certain limits on permitted
technology it will be easier to spot if the rules
defined in "restricted" category were not followed.

73

Sergey
VK2IMM


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