[CQ-Contest] Control Operators and Contesting

[Doug Grant]

On Wed, Jun 21, 2017, NY4I wrote:

That?s just like the one later down the page in the FAQ that states the ID
> requirements of a 1x1 station. When was the last time you heard the hourly
> ID from a 1x1 station (especially if they use it for a DXPedition). I have
> listened to stations for the whole hour and unless the normal 500 watt
> station reduced their power to 1 watt, I have yet to hear the 1x1 hourly ID
> with a regular call. Well our club does it but we stress the point to all
> the ops at the top of the hour.
>
>
> Q. We will be using a special 1 by 1 callsign for Field Day. Is there
> anything special we must do?
>
> A. Yes, at least once per hour each station using the special call must
> also ID with the FCC-issued station call. (97.119(d))
>

The 59 competing WRTC2014 stations all used 1x1 callsigns. The station
licensees were volunteers in our organization (all Extra Class).

We were made aware of this little-known ID rule for 1x1s well in advance of
the event (it was news to our committee).  The teams were required to sign
the licensee's station call once per hour during the contest on each
transmitter, and the in-tent referee was required to record the time,
frequency and mode, just to be sure.

One senior ARRL Staffer noted that the rule is really outdated, since there
is an on-line database that records the licensee of reach 1x1 call
assignment and the need to identify once per hour is no longer necessary.
It is a lot faster to look it up online than waiting for the once-an-hour
ID.

But the rules are the rules, and despite some complaints when we first
announced the ID rule, nobody seemed to have any trouble complying.

And before anyone asks, every one of the competitors was either eligible
for U.S. license privileges under a bilateral or multilateral agreement
(CEPT, for example) or actually held a valid U.S. license. One operator
only held a General Class license when he arrived, but passed the Extra
test at a VE session we held on-site before the competition.

Dotting the i's and crossing the t's is hard.

73,

Doug K1DG
WRTC2014 Chairman (retired)