[RTTY] Pileup of Rookies!

[Gary AL9A]

I wish I could share Don's enthusiasm - unfortunately not so.  Contest 
organizers who insist on limiting power output to 100W should be required to 
spend a couple of months in AK first to see just what that does to your 
competitive spirit.  I only operated about 2 hours before packing it in with 
16 QSO's in the log.  Just couldn't stand to listen to my plaintive CQ's go 
unanswered any longer.  I can't understand the desire to "level the field", 
so to speak, by limiting the use of amps, but why stop there?  I have a TH11 
yagi at 70 feet  and a 40M mono band yagi at 80 feet.  Shouldn't I be 
required to forego use of those antennas and revert to dipoles or verticals 
to "level the field" for those who also do not possess gain antennas at 
decent height?  I'm at 61 degrees N latitude.  Is my propagation situation 
the same as those at 40 degrees N latitude?  Not likely.  Who do I see about 
"leveling" that disparity?  Up here most Alaskan hams consider the use of an 
amp IS "leveling the field"!  It's just nonsensical to think that arbitrary 
restrictions such as this are beneficial for the contest or the 
participants.

However, during my brief operating time I noticed an even more disturbing 
aspect of the Rookie Roundup rules and how certain ops chose to implement 
them.  Several stations were printed calling CQ with the proviso of "ROOKIES 
ONLY".  A couple of others refused to work me when I called them because, 
"You're was not a rookie"!  Really?  How did they know I wasn't a rookie 
using the AL9A station unless they completed the exchange and got the CK?  I 
worked K6YL expecting to get just the CA mult, but much to my surprise the 
CK was 09 - a rookie!  You mean rookies can have an Extra license?  Go 
figure!

The rules do not state a non-rookie cannot work another non-rookie, only 
that there is no point credit for the QSO.  However, there IS point credit 
for working a new mult regardless of rookie or non-rookie status!  So while 
I intentionally called several stations that I knew were not rookies, it was 
because I wanted to get the state mult!  So by refusing to work me, you 
refused to give me your state mult and at the same time denied yourself the 
chance to get the AK mult!  Did you work a lot of AK rookies in the contest? 
Last time I checked most contest rules, working mults is a good thing!  I 
hope no rookies were working the contest as guest ops at an Elmer's station 
only to be denied a QSO because they "weren't a rookie".  I think some of 
our brethren need to chill!

73,
Gary AL9A


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Don Hill AA5AU" <aa5au at bellsouth.net>
To: <rtty at contesting.com>
Sent: August 21, 2011 1:06 PM
Subject: [RTTY] Pileup of Rookies!


> Wow, what fun.  Spending time in the Rookie Roundup RTTY and having fun 
> with a small pileup of Rookies.  Great to see all the new
> calls!!!
>
> Jump in and join the fun with 3 hours left!  Everything has been on 20 
> meters so far.
>
> 73, Don AA5AU
> http://www.aa5au.com
> http://www.rttycontesting.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> RTTY mailing list
> RTTY at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rtty