[CQ-Contest] Rules for SAC 2020

[Paul O'Kane]

On 21/08/2020 21:06, SM5AJV wrote:
> UPDATE
> After publishing the rules for SAC 2020 we have got some reactions on
> allowing for assistance in all operator categories.

"Allowing for assistance in all operator categories" may be true, but it 
is not the whole truth.  What you (the SAC Committee) have done is 
abolish the SO Unassisted category. This benefits no one but you - the 
contest sponsors.

>   The reason behind the
> change is that we want to reduce the number of operator categories and
> plaques.

That is nonsense.  I see no evidence of a shortage of plaque donors for 
SO Unassisted.  Again, reducing the number of operator categories 
benefits no one but you - the contest sponsors.

> The reduction will also make the log handling and checking easier
> for the log checker.

That's true - but it also represents an abdication of responsibility for 
verifying that the leading unassisted entries actually were unassisted, 
for which there are long-standing and well-established techniques.  Did 
anyone on the Committee contact the sponsors of the major contests (CQ, 
ARRL, IARU) to see how they do it?  I suspect not.

> In order to recognize operators that prefer not using any assistance we
> have decided that you are able to state if you operated without any
> assistance when submitting the log. Operators who participate  without
> assistance will be marked with (N) after the call in the ranking lists.

That looks like a cop-out to me.  I invite the SAC Contest Committee to 
address its responsibilities and reinstate SO Unassisted now - before 
the contests next month.

73,
Paul EI5DI