[CQ-Contest] Assisted or not assisted question (yet again)

[w5ov at w5ov.com]

> The traffic on this question posed lots of opinions responsive to Igor’s
> question.  But a better answer might be: When in doubt, see what the rule
> says.
>
> The rule doesn’t say “operating assistance is prohibited.”  (N1MM sends my
> CW, it tells me where to point my antenna, and (with supercheck partial)
> it
> alerts me to possible errors in call signs I copy.)
>
> For the WPX contest, what the rule says is that single ops are prohibited
> from using “any technology or outside method that provides call sign and
> frequency information regarding any other station to the operator."  (Rule
> IV(e).)
>
> This "any other station" language allows spot checking for your own
> station.  (Your own station is the one station that is excluded by this
> "any *other* station" language.)
>
> Kudos to the WPX committee for writing a rule that is clear.
> (“Assistance”
> rules in many other contests lack such clarity.  Note that the CQ WW
> assistance rule is different than the CQ WPX rule quoted above.)
>
> Folks can (and should) debate whether the policy effected by the rule is a
> good one.  But there’s no debate about what the rule is.
>
> (The 500m “one operation” site rule IV(f) is inapt to Igor’s question.  It
> applies to all contestants.  If rule IV(f) were construed to prevent Igor
> from spot-checking his own call, such construction would similarly prevent
> spot-checking by assisted stations.)
>
> /Bill, K2PO
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