[CQ-Contest] Convergence and Change

[Jack Haverty]

On 05/17/2016 12:57 PM, Eric Gruff wrote:
> Here's my point: technical innovations are going to occur, and in just about
> every case, give those who acquire them and become proficient in them an
> "assist". Is it really necessary to split the categories into assisted and
> unassisted?

IMHO, this is exactly right - technology changes constantly and is 
critical to ham radio.  We humans are born with very poor ability to 
sense electromagnetic waves, and even less ability to create them, so we 
need technology to help.

The core nature of ham radio is using technology to communicate using 
radio waves.  The core nature of radio contesting is to demonstrate our 
skills and capabilities in ham radio.

So, I'd like to see a split of assisted versus unassisted based on those 
observations, with the following basic definitions:

Unassisted - a station using technology, of any kind, to communicate 
using only ham radio waves.  All communication across the station 
boundary (building, 100-meter circle, whatever) must be performed using 
ham radio.  Within the station boundary, other forms of communication 
may be used.

Assisted - a station using technology, of any kind, to communicate not 
only using radio waves, but also using other forms of communications 
across the station boundary for whatever purpose the operator wishes. 
All contact exchanges (whatever that means) must however be accomplished 
only by ham radio communications.

In other words, Unassisted means you use only ham radio; assisted means 
you may use other forms of communications as well.

73,
/Jack de K3FIV