Topband: Remotes

[Steven Daniel]

“Unethical” is an interesting term. In my profession, periodontics, ethics and ethical behavior is proscribed in our rules. Since dentistry, like the law and medicine are regulated on a state by state basis, what is “unethical” in Tennessee may not be in Florida. In amateur radio? What we have are rules.
The FCC and ARRL have made it clear that remote operation, properly done, is legal. The ARRL has made it clear that if a contact is made within the confines of the Continental U. S. it is good for ARRL-sponsored awards.
That is as good as it’s going to get. I have a lovely home station. I use RHR (eleven years and counting) from our dental office 25 miles from home. But make no mistake: if I can’t hear a station at home I go to RHR. 
Just another tool in the toolbox. 
I can only assume you haven’t been DXing long. I am 50 years in and often come up dry.
It happens Mr. Harrison. 
You DX your way and I will DX mine. So long as neither of us violates the rules it shouldn’t matter.
But you are not the arbiter of ethics. 
Nor are you more deserving of a QSO than am I.
Steve Daniel, NN4T
Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 5, 2024, at 11:33 AM, jim.thom jim.thom at telus.net <jim.thom at telus.net> wrote:
> 
> Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2024 08:57:26 -0800
> From: Steve Harrison <k0xp at k0xp.com>
> To: topband at contesting.com
> Subject: Topband: Remotes
> 
>> This growing practice of hiring a remote in another call area far from
>> your own QTH, then working wild and exotic DX while preventing deserving
>> locals operating from their home stations from working same DX, is
>> abominable and just plain unethical. I lost what respect I had for a
>> couple people I heard work 9M2AX this morning when I heard them do that.
>> I heard another guy do that last week that I've only just barely heard
>> on 160 in the past across the country; he was at least two hours beyond
>> his own sunrise, so obviously hiring a remote, probably that big one up
>> near Carson City, Nevada, same station these two guys this morning were
>> probably using. The week before last, there was another east coaster, at
>> least 2-1/2 hours past his sunrise, who did the same thing at, most
>> likely, the same station. I bet the owner of the station is advertising
>> it as "WORK 9M2AX on 160 from here!!! Only $XXX for a half hour!!".
> 
>> I hope these guys are putting an asterisk on their 9M2 QSL cards to
>> indicate they didn't work Ross from home; but I won't hold my breath
>> that they do.
> 
>> Steve, K0XP
> 
> ##  I find it amusing that using a full remote station thousands of miles
> away is..'ok', yet
> using a simple remote RX, say 10- 100 miles away, while transmitting from
> your own backyard, is a 'no-no'.   I can't hear worth beans from my own
> qth, yet 100 miles north of me, my daughter is on 10 acres, and at that
> location, can hear very well.
> 
> ##  It all makes no sense.
> 
> Jim  VE7RF
> _________________
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