[RTTY] SCC RTTY "ILLOGICAL" RULE FOR SO

Richard Ferch ve3iay at rac.ca
Fri Aug 29 20:59:35 EDT 2003


The 10 band change per hour rule in effect prohibits effective use of SO2R,
and also pretty much prohibits significant use of a second multiplier radio
for the multi-op category.

Restrictive?   Yes, certainly
Unduly restrictive?   Perhaps
Illogical?   No, not at all

It all depends on the organizers' objectives. Maybe they want to encourage
participation from smaller less well-equipped stations.

Let's try taking a longer view: Someone with a modest station may feel,
perhaps justifiably, that they have no chance of winning the big contests
where anything goes in the way of equipment. Having one or two contests a
year which are perceived as levelling the playing field even a little bit
might just encourage a few of the smaller guys to show up, and who knows,
maybe they will enjoy it and decide to participate in some of the bigger
contests as well. That would seem to be in the interests of everyone.

Personally, I enjoy the fact that each contest has different rules. If every
contest was the same, I would soon get bored and find something else to do.
Having a band change limitation is another challenge to keep people
interested, just like QTCs, or more points for low band QSOs, or different
QSO points for different zones or call areas, or having to choose your off
times, or ...

Remember, if people with modest stations do not participate in contests,
after the big guns have worked each other in the first couple of hours they
are going to have a pretty boring time. Considering that very few people
would be able to participate in a full-bore no-holds-barred 48-hour DX
contest every weekend anyway, isn't even a small chance of attracting a few
more little guys to contesting worth the price of having a few weekends
taken up by contests with different, and yes, even "illogical" rules?

73,
Rich VE3IAY




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