[CQ-Contest] Radio Amateurs of Canada contest rules

[Bart Ritchie (VE5CPU)]

Hi Michael, et. al.

For clarity, the 10 minute rules does not apply to the non-existent 
category since there is no SO(A)  category.

For the Multi single categories, the 10 minute rule does apply and as 
such it is there to force some strategic decisions by the team on how 
to deploy the multiplier station.  All stations in that category are 
affected with that limitation.

The contest management team has allowed some level of accommodation 
for those who wish to use assistance as a single operator.  We map 
them into one of the M/S categories since that level of assistance 
most closely maps into a M/S category.  That results, if they are 
abiding by the rules, in getting caught into a limitation that was 
designed as a feature of that category and not a penalty.

Semantics maybe in terms of that rule, but that is the genesis of the 
way we arrived at addressing those who were looking for some level of 
operational assistance instead of just DQing them for entering a 
non-existent category.  You option of simply sending in a check log 
is also a solution, but forgoes any level of recognition despite 
potential limitations.

The contest management team has been discussing expansion of the 
categories list and the creation of a proper SO/A or SO/U for the RAC 
contests.  There are the usual challenges around sponsorship of 
plaques.  Another consideration is just how far a contest needs to go 
in terms of category expansion, but as contesting evolves we consider 
the directions being taken within the contest community as well as 
taking into consideration users requests when doing such reviews.

Any changes from this current review will be published for the 2022 
contest season.

Thanks for your participation in the RAC contests, enjoy the 2021 
Canada Winter contest this coming weekend

73, Bart

Bart Ritchie - VE5CPU
RAC Canada Day Contest Manager
RAC Contest Advisory Committee

At 08:24 AM 2021-12-15, Michael Adams wrote:
>However, using a skimmer, even a 
>private-not-connected-to-the-spotting-network skimmer, still makes 
>you assisted.   RAC rules consider SO(A) to be M/S.
>
>Since I play for fun rather than competitiveness, I'm not inherently 
>bothered by putting SO(A) and M/S in the same competitive class (it 
>helps address the problem of too many categories giving rise to the 
>"everyone's a winner" phenomenon, after all).  But I do have to 
>question, given the rise of SO2R, whether it makes sense to impose 
>the 10-minute band change rule on SO(A) ops.
>
>When I submit logs to RAC contests, they're checklogs for this 
>reason.  My primary goal when contesting is to maximize my fun, and 
>having to pay attention to the band change timer detracts from my fun.
>
>--
>Michael Adams | mda at n1en.org