[CQ-Contest] Get out of jail free card - SO2R

[Bill Turner]

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

On Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:53:57 -0500, "Sandy Taylor" <ve4xt at mts.net>
wrote:

>Why is an operator who develops the ability to SO2R (and it is a skill, it's
>not plug-and-play) any different than the athlete who devotes more time to
>honourable improvement (the slugger who curls more and more often than the
>next guy, the linebacker who hits the dummy more, the golf pro who spends
>more time at the range, etc.) than the next guy?

------------ REPLY FOLLOWS ------------

The difference is the additional hardware... the second radio and
antenna. In your examples above with the slugger, the linebacker and the
golf pro, there is no additional hardware involved, only personal effort
and commitment, which I applaud wholeheartedly. 

Several months ago I swore off this discussion but when I see the same
old wrong thinking I can't help myself. Sorry about that. SO2R should
have its own category for the same reason high power has its own
category: Adding the equipment gives an advantage which requires a
separation of classes in order to be fair. 

And please, no whining about how life isn't fair, blah, blah, blah. The
reason categories exist at all is an attempt to level the playing field.
No, it will never be perfectly level or perfectly fair, but that does
not bean we shouldn't try. 

For the ten billionth time, I have no objection to SO2R. Just the
opposite. I encourage it, but I do want it to be in its own category in
the interest of fairness.

I am really tired of this discussion as are many others. I apologize for
this post, but as I said I can't just sit by and see such blatant
mis-representation of the facts go unchallenged. It's time for contest
sponsors to follow the lead of the Mexican RTTY sponsors and do the
right thing.

73, Bill W6WRT