[CQ-Contest] The Meaning of Assisted

[Art Boyars]

I have avoided reading this thread, but I did happen to notice this post
from K2QMF:

"If you were operating S/O Unassisted and a buddy called you on the land
line to ask how you were doing in the contest. Before hanging up he
mentioned that a new  multiplier just came up on 21045 would you go take a
listen and maybe even work it! If so, will you change your log to S/O
assisted???

"Inquiring minds want to know..."

I have not (and will not) read any of the other responses, but here is my
answer:     That is exactly what I did.

The story might have appeared in NCJ, about 30 years ago (back before
"Assisted" had been invented).  The title would have been something like
"How I Set The Record".  Maybe somebody will look it up.

I was guest op SS CW at some station bigger than my own.  He was a mostly
DXer and DX contest guy, with a KW and a beam.  He's been an SK for a while,
and I forget his well-known call.  Sunday afternoon he was upstairs tuning
around on some transistorized SW radio.  Suddenly, the intercom in the shack
blasted out: "VE?xxx on 21.0xx"  Again, I forget the actual call, but it was
a sort-of-rare mult that I NEEDED.  I considered the ethical issues,
realized that I could go up to 15M, work a few other guys, and "just happen"
to find the mult.  I decided in favor of honesty and points for the club.  I
went and worked the guy ... and changed my submittted category to Multi-Op.
And that is how, for a few years, I held the MDC Section record for SS CW
Multi-Op category.


73, Art K3KU