[UK-CONTEST] HF SSB Field day rules ..

[Andy Summers]

Hi Jim & everyone,

Firstly, I'm having trouble with the list. When I send to the list it says
I'm not a member and I have to wait for moderator approval. So this might
take some time to make it onto the list. My Digest seems to have stopped
today as well. Anyone else seen this?

To the chase...

Jim, I can assure you that we comply in every way with the letter of the law
in SSB Field Day. Chris has already demonstrated how it's possible to use
the second Rx. Part of the 'game' in contests is to find ways of being
creative to gain a competitive advantage whilst keeping within the rules. I
guess then it becomes a bit like athletes taking steroids. You have to take
them to be competitive at all. Then the steroids get banned. Self spotting
might be an example of this. Of course you could simply cheat. We don't
cheat because it'd be a hollow victory if we won in this way. I think you
have to rely on people's conscience in contests, otherwise you'd have
inspectors at every station.

Our particular group has been doing this contest every year for the past 6
years. We've gradually moved up the table through experience, both
technically and operationally. You eventually figure out what other people
do, use these techniques and hopefully build on them to get to number 1. I
don't think we're there yet either.

I'm not prepared to divulge publicly how we run our SSB Field Day station
because we believe we're using techniques that others aren't (within the
rules). We'd be giving away the competetive advantage we've worked so hard
to achieve all these years. I'd be happy enough to discuss it with the
adjudicator (in confidence) if they saw fit, however.

The Rules:

Talk about banging your head against a brick wall!

The rules changed for SSB Field Day in line with NFD a few years back. For
SSB Field Day, you used to be able to run one Tx & one Rx or one TRx and an
additional Rx. It was generally accepted that the additional Rx could have
been another TRx used on Rx only. Following a high profile Radcom feature on
NFD, the rules changed to the present ones. From (a hazy) memory this had
something to do with not wanting to exclude those who have rigs with a sub
Rx, and yet feeling that it was too much of a temptation for the op not to
use it! We don't operate NFD, so I can't comment on NFD practice, nor can I
remember whether a second Rx was allowed in NFD before the changes.

Whilst I can't find the paper trail right now, at the time I complained
about the changes, both on this point and on the point about explicitly
allowing packet assistance in the restricted section. It seemed crazy to me
to allow a second Rx only if it was a sub-Rx. I argued for the old rules, or
to disallow any second Rx at all. You may also have seen my more recent
posting arguing against packet assistance. On balance, I'm inclined to agree
with G3SJJ, that the second Rx gives someone else something to do.

Anyway, my arguments fell on deaf ears.

73,
Andy, G4KNO.

_________________________________________________________________

Guess you are right. I hadn't noticed that bit in the rules. Looks like a
cock-up.
Surely if you are allowed to use the 2nd rx in a transceiver, then obviously
you
should be allowed to use a 2nd rx externally.

With the prevalence of 1000Ds/MPs/Icoms/950s around these days,  it would be
somewhat negative to preclude all those. But I would certainly agree no-one
can
justify the use of 2RXs against one as being fair play. Looks like a quick
re-think
is necessarry - HFCC.

73 Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-admin at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-admin at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Jim Balls
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 8:12 PM
To: uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: RE: [UK-CONTEST] HF SSB Field day rules ..



So therefore all clubs must have access to a FT1000 of one mark or another
or a TS950SDX?
Oh dear we are putting money in the dealers pockets again :-( .. Never mind
we'll have to be content with coming mid table.

I think the rules should make it fair, so as if the group wish to run a
FT101 or  WHY they are in with a chance of the top spot, this will never
happen whilst the rules allow "big nob / little nob" operation (I for one
would not be happy with a little nob :-) ).
can anyone justify the use of 2 RX's against one being fair play?

So either ban the use of a second RX full stop or allow a second RX
inspective of weather it's built into the radio or not.

Anyway thanks for the clarification chris.

Regards,

Jim