[CQ-Contest] Is allowed more then 2 stations on M/2?

[Luc Moreira]

Dear Contester,

On PY Contest reflectors Peter, PP5XX, a very known operator that was part
of HKØNA team, wrote this message:

On June 23, 2012 11:06, Peter Sprengel <petersprengel at hotmail.com> wrote:

> There are two situations in contestes.
> By involuntary errors in operation that are all susceptible and cheating.
> I'll give you an example of CHEATING:
> The guy participate as M/2 and have a third station and enter the QSO's
> made from the third station in the log. This is DISHONESTY. That's
> shamelessness!
> In my opinion have to declassify mercilessly. Unfortunately that's not
> what happened recently in the WPX, and they opted to discount points of
> naughty thieves. But it is a start and served as a reminder that every day
> the organizers are more aware of frauds.


Link to original message in Portuguese:
http://list.araucariadx.com/pipermail/araucaria/2012-June/050015.html

The team PW7T was the only one M/2 participant in PY on last WPX (both
CW/SSB) using 3 stations setup, so I got confused If indeed we are doing
something wrong/illegal that WPX organizers didn't know about it or noble
fellow Peter, PP5XX is miss judging our operations?

3830 PW7T @ WPX 2012 - SSB: 2nd World (Claimed):
http://lists.contesting.com/_3830/2012-03/msg02231.html
3830 PW7T @ WPX 2012 - CW: 1st World (Claimed):
http://lists.contesting.com/_3830/2012-05/msg01393.html

Little background to help you evaluate the situation:
I'm one of 8-10 regular operators of PW7T Team (former ZY7C) Fortaleza DX
Group Contest Station. Since 2006, we've been building the station from the
ground. A project like this require time, money (a lot of), effort,
dedication, learning, team working and big passion for Contesting.

Since then, It's not rare to spot us on Top Score Box of all big contests.
Although It wasn't easy/quick, It was really an amazing journey. During
this journey, we learned a lot about hardware, software, mastered game
strategy, have fun, how to work as team and finally we got more skilled and
competitive.

One of most important lessons learned was that Brazil isn't a rare DXCC.
Just set a frequency and call CQ simply doesn't work! We need to work
pileup AND run after Qs and Mults as well, just like 95% of competitors do. If
Moses won't go to the mountain...

To chase new Qs/Mults while don't give up pileups, we setup 3 stations,
each one have access to all available antennas and they are limited to
1,000 Watts max power output (according to PY ham radio regulation, we are
seriously against POWER ABUSE).

Our understand from M/2 category rules is that there is no limit of
stations, but M/2 entrants must ensure to have only 2 signals on the air
any time, any band. To avoid more then 2 signals on the air, two (of three)
stations are interlocked, so from 3 stations, we have only 2 signal on the
air any time, any band.

The third station is used as "chameleon", It assumes RUN#1/RUN#2 identity
to work mult/Qs on other bands. So each RUN station "QSY" up to the band
change limit (8 on WPX, 10 on CQWW). That gives us up to 8 contacts per
hour on WPX. On 48h it means 384 mults or Qs that was made by third
station. This station NEVER calls CQ.

Errors happens. On WPX CW 2011, we lost 3rd place in world because a band
violation (complete article http://www.pw7t.net/?p=822). Yes, we take the
risk of make mistakes, but in my point of view It is not even close to
cheating.

If there is any broken rules on this setup or strategy, please pinpoint It
to us, so we'll fix it for future contests and we will withdraw our logs
from last WPX Contest.

At PW7T we beleave that there is no meaning on win by any means.

73, Luc
__
PW7T Team member
WRTC.2006 Brazilian Referee
WRTC.2010 Brazilian Team Leader
PY8AZT (also PT7AG, R37U, ZY7C, PX8C, ZZ8Z)
LABRE, ARRL, CWJF & Fortaleza DX Group Member