[CQ-Contest] Ethics: some things never change

[David Robbins K1TTT]

> The article closes with a plea for better contest rules...rules that use
> examples that everybody
> can understand.
> de Doug KR2Q

Doug and I do definitely agree on this.  A recent discussion somewhere
pointed this out very directly when an apparently relatively new multi-op
organizer was trying to find out about self spotting rules and thought that
since it wasn't disallowed it must be allowed... even though all of us who
have followed this for years know it isn't allowed.  But you have to read
and interpret the rules a bit to understand why.

Sorry, this got a bit long but please follow this closely...  Parts of the
rules from the 2008 cqww cw page that are not related to spotting were
trimmed to just focus on the topic at hand:

<trimmed quote>
A. Single Operator categories: ... QSO alerting assistance of any kind (this
includes, but is not limited to, packet, local or remote Skimmer and/or
Skimmer-like technology, Internet) places the entrant in the Single Operator
Assisted category.

1. Single Operator High ... QSO alerting assistance of any kind is not
allowed. Selfspotting or asking to be spotted is not allowed. 

2. Single Operator Low ... QSO alerting assistance of any kind is not
allowed. Selfspotting or asking to be spotted is not allowed.

3. Single Operator QRP ... QSO alerting assistance of any kind is not
allowed. Selfspotting or asking to be spotted is not allowed.

4. Single Operator Assisted ... QSO alerting assistance is allowed (this
includes, but is not limited to, packet, local or remote Skimmer and/or
Skimmer-like technology, Internet). Self-spotting or asking to
be spotted is not allowed.
</trimmed quote>

Note that every one above spells out about self spotting.  And the general
category note duplicates the SOA specific wording.  But then look at the
below group for multi-op categories... no remember, above was paragraph 'A
Single Operator', below is a new paragraph 'B Multi-Operator'.  Even in my
Philadelphia contest lawyer hat that means that the above paragraph doesn't
apply to the below categories.

<trimmed quote>
B. Multi-Operator ...

1. Single Transmitter (MS): ...

2. Two Transmitter (M2): ...

3. Multi-Transmitter (MM): ...
</trimmed quote>

I trimmed all the stuff about numbers of transmitters and operators... and
what is left.  Not a word about self spotting or asking to be spotted, or
even allowing them to use alerting assistance at all.  So, is alerting
assistance ONLY allowed in SOA?  Or can multi-ops use it?  But that is
besides the point since we all KNOW that multi-ops can always use spotting
assistance in cqww.

Now IF you read far enough, to the last dq criteria in paragraph XII you can
see:

<quote>
ANY use by an entrant of any non-amateur means including, but not limited
to, telephones, telegrams, internet, Instant Messenger, chat rooms, VoIP, or
the use of packet to SOLICIT, ARRANGE, or CONFIRM any contacts during the
contest is unsportsmanlike and the entry is subject to disqualification.
</quote>

AND you understand that spotting yourself via the cluster means you are
soliciting, then you might understand that you shouldn't spot yourself from
multi-op stations either.

On the other side of the coin, the ARRL method goes like this on their web
rules:

This is the COMPLETE, nothing trimmed, description of entry categories from
the 2008 ARRL DX rules page:

<quote>
Entry Categories: 
3.1. Single Operator: 
3.1.1. All Band: 
3.1.1.1. QRP. 
3.1.1.2. Low Power. 
3.1.1.3. High Power. 
3.1 2. Single Band. 
3.1.2.1. A participant may submit only one single band entry. If contacts
are made on other bands, the log file must clearly be marked as Single Band
in the header of the Cabrillo file. 
3.1.2.2. The same callsign may not be used by a different operator(s) to
generate additional single band entries. 
3.2. Single Operator Assisted. 
3.3. Multioperator: 
3.3.1. Single Transmitter. 
3.3.2. Two Transmitter. 
3.3.3. Multi-transmitter.
</quote>

Not a word about spotting assistance at all.  You have to know to go to
another page, the 'HF Rules' to find this:

<trimmed quote>
2.1.Single Operator: ...

2.1.1.Use of spotting assistance or nets (operating arrangements involving
other individuals, DX-alerting nets, packet, Internet, etc) is not
permitted.

2.2.Single Operator Assisted: ...

2.2.1.Use of spotting assistance or nets (operating arrangements involving
other individuals, DX-alerting nets, packet, etc) not physically located at
the station is permitted. 

2.2.2.Single Operator Assisted stations are allowed only one transmitted
signal at any given time, not including transmissions on a spotting net.

2.3.1.Multioperator, Single Transmitter: ...

2.3.1.1.In those contests that do not have Single Operator Assisted class,
this category includes those single operators that use any form of spotting
assistance such as from nets or packet. 

</trimmed quote>

I think its nice that they exempt the spotting transmitter, assuming you
still you a vhf link to a cluster node, from the number of transmitters.  So
now you have rules for who can use spotting assistance, assuming you compare
that to the entry categories in the particular contest... for instance if a
contest doesn't have an SOA category, that forces SO who use spots into a
multi-op class.

But you STILL have to know to go one more place, the 'General Rules' to find
this stuff about spotting use:

<trimmed quote>

3.7.2.2. Multioperator and Single Operator Assisted stations may use
spotting nets. 

3.14. In contests where spotting nets are permissible, spotting your own
station or requesting another station to spot you is not permitted.


David Robbins K1TTT
e-mail: mailto:k1ttt at arrl.net
web: http://www.k1ttt.net
AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://dxc.k1ttt.net