[CQ-Contest] No more Unassisted in ARRL VHF Contests?

[Kelly Taylor]

I don't like the idea of removing 'assisted' categories, because
'boy-and-his-radio' should be different than
'boy-and-his-radio-and-the-receivers-of-hundreds-of-others'.

However, I would point out that the fear that removing assisted means
everyone MUST use the Internet to be competitive is a POV that ignores
existing contest records, all of which show a wide gap between scores of
non-assisted and assisted operations, all in favour of the non-assisted
operators.

In SS, some of the best "U" scores are by operators who were all set up to
use assistance but didn't.

There are theories as to why nons do better than assisted. The first being
that many contests are rate driven, IOW, a good rate beats a mult hunt most
of the time and a good rate will naturally result in picking up a lot of
mults anyway. That, coupled with the break in stride of chasing spots, hurts
the assisted scores.

The other theory is that assisted entrants aren't up to the level of the
guys entering as non. I don't buy that, since some first-rate operators do
enter as assisted.

I also don't buy the "we must kill the distinction to eliminate cheating"
argument, for this reason: If the guys who are honest about assistance
aren't beating the non-assisted, the cheaters on assistance won't, either.

So, while I would rather the distinction remain, I don't see the end of the
world in its demise, either.

73, kelly
ve4xt



On 11/15/14 5:29 AM, "Paul O'Kane" <pokane at ei5di.com> wrote:

> 
> According to the ARRL Letter of November 13, the ARRL
> is recommending some changes in VHF/UHF contest rules -
> recommendations that, if carried, are likely to set a
> precedent for HF contesting.
> 
> http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=2014-11-13
> 
> The first recommendation is -
> 
>    "Removing the current prohibition on the use of amateur
>    and non-amateur forms of assistance for all operator
>    categories, with such use having no impact on entry
>    category."
> 
> In plain language, this means that, to be competitive,
> single ops will have no option but to use the internet
> while contesting.
> 
> It seems to me this is about as sensible as doing away
> with the distinction between sailboats and powerboats.
> Sailors don't use engines in competition, otherwise
> they become drivers.
> 
> ARRL members have until December 15 to comment - to
> vhf-input at arrl.org
> <https://exchange.arrl.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=DWUqzy67K0ONhVHNEctAN7smONhP0dEIfu
> q6oB8Kt20gIPdXbSgaWjGzICFntPU9maa6SlopDv8.&URL=mailto%3avhf-input%40arrl.org>
> 
> 73,
> Paul EI5DI
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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