[CQ-Contest] Absurd Rule in NAQP

[Steve London]

"counter-productive anachronism?"

Hardly !  Activity in the NAQP increases every year.

73,
Steve, N2IC

On 01/16/2016 02:24 PM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
> NAQP does not allow use of spotting assistance on any mode, and
> single-ops using assistance are reclassified as Multi-two.  Then,
> *because they areMulti-Two, they are required to adhere by the 10-minute
> band change rule*.  When I asked one of the organizers, he first said
> that they had never thought about it, but after a couple of
> back-and-forths, he affirmed that is indeed how it works.
>
> Why should we care?  First of all, because penalizing assisted single-op
> participants in this way is a classic example of unintended
> consequences.  The band change rule was intended to prevent elaborate
> octopus arrangments competing with genuine two transmitter multis, not
> to limit single-op band changes.  It prevents assisted entrants from
> participating in one of the most fun aspects of NAQP, moving stations
> (or being moved)  to maximize the distribution of rare mults.  For
> people who operate assisted in other contests, it prevents them from
> practicing high-rate assisted search-and-pounce skills unless they are
> willing to accept a heavy handicapso far as NAQP competition is concerned.
>
> It's hard for me to understand why NAQP would cling to this antiquated
> situation.  The other three contests reclassifying assisted single-op as
> multi-op were ARRL 10, ARRL 160, andIARU HF.  All three have now adopted
> Single Op Unlimited as a legitimate competitive class. When will NAQP
> get rid of this counter-productive anachronism?
>