[CQ-Contest] ARRL to allow self-spotting in contests

[kq2m at kq2m.com]

Appalling rule change.  It is usually the worst and most unpopular rules 
changes that are the ones made without consultation and I don't think 
that is a coincidence - this rule change and the WPX contest elimination 
of the SO NON-assisted category come to mind.  Both were railroaded 
through even though the clear majority of the contest participants and 
ESPECIALLY the most serious ops, were against these changes.

Al asks "What's next".  What's next is automated self-spotting at the 
exact minimum time allowed.  So if the rule is "no self-spotting without 
waiting a minimum of 10 minutes" then there will almost certainly be a 
proliferation of self-spotting devices that will automatically spot that 
station every 10:00.00 exactly; **480** times during an ARRLDX weekend 
for a SINGLE-OP.  A potentially absurd **2,880** times during an ARRLDX 
weekend for a M/M (6 bands and allowed to spot on each band separately - 
right?)

What an INSANE waste of bandwidth and resources especially when 
multiplied by potentially THOUSANDS of participants during the weekend!

What are the DX Summit and spotting clusters going to do with this level 
of volume?  Anyone at the ARRL think about that?

This is what happens when non-contesters are allowed to make rules by 
FIAT and without consultation.  Any REAL contester, including the 
Assisted ops and Multi stations, would be against such an absurd and 
destructive rule change.

I STRONGLY suggest that ALL of us make our feelings known at the league. 
  Perhaps we should send an email every 10 minutes to them to make the 
point of what it will be like DURING a contest?

Bob, KQ2M



On 2022-02-16 07:42, Alexander Teimurazov wrote:
> Spotting first, then self spotting what will be next.
>  Probably allow redundant operator because 48 hours probably is quite
> difficult for Single op why not allow second operator
>  All those movements kill Single Operator category which was Most 
> popular
> category but some contest committess going the way to move contesting 
> to
> computer games and kill on the same time Single op category because if 
> they
> will create new category it will be not popular
> 
>   73                Al 4L5A
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: CQ-Contest
> [mailto:cq-contest-bounces+at=at-communication.com at contesting.com] On 
> Behalf
> Of Randy Thompson
> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2022 12:23 PM
> To: CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> Subject: [CQ-Contest] ARRL to allow self-spotting in contests
> 
> From the ARRL Contest Update today:
> 
> "New Rules in effect for all ARRL HF Contests in June
> Starting with the ARRL International Digital Contest, in all categories 
> that
> allow assistance (Unlimited), the use of online and other non-amateur 
> radio
> platforms including but not limited to social media, live video 
> streaming,
> and internet chat rooms will be allowed. In all Unlimited and 
> Multioperator
> categories, the prohibition of self-spotting, and asking another 
> station to
> spot you, will also be removed."
> 
> Wow.  It was one thing for the VHF contests to allow use of chat rooms 
> and
> telephone calls, now this is extended to all HF contests. It should be
> interesting to see what unintended consequences result from allowing
> multi-ops and assisted competitors to spot themselves. You could spot
> yourself with every CQ if you wanted to. Or you can call people on the 
> phone
> and ask them to get on the air. Or send out email reminders to work you
> during the contest.
> 
> It is likely to have the most impact on SSB to produce spotting equal 
> to
> what the RBN does for CW and RTTY.
> 
> For an organization that has always been so timid and conservative on 
> rule
> changes, the ARRL seems to have sprung this one without much 
> consultation
> with the contest community.  I assume it is in reaction to the W2RE 
> incident
> several years ago in ARRL DX where he used live streaming on Facebook 
> during
> the contest.
> 
> 
> Randy K5ZD
>