[UK-CONTEST] Short Contest Calls -- latest

[Chairman, RSGB Contest Committee]

Short Contest Calls.

After several more meetings and phone calls, we have persuaded Ofcom
to change their policy on Individual Short Contest Calls.  Please
see below for the previous state of play.

Ofcom have agreed a change to clause (e) of the SCC application
form --
www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ifi/licensing/classes/amateur/applications/ofw286.pdf
It adds some extra words to the end of the sentence:

"Individual licensees wishing to apply for a special contest call 
sign should do so with achievements gained under their own 
individual call sign" so it will read:

"Individual licensees wishing to apply for a special contest call
sign should do so with achievements gained under their own
individual call sign, but exceptionally, until 31st December
2010, such applications may include achievements gained
by the licensee as a single-operator using one club Short Contest 
Call Sign."

I think this is reasonably self-evident.  It's not perfect, but the
best that can be done, I think, recognising the propensity of the
bureaucracy at Ofcom to micro-manage the whole thing, even though
they know little of contesting.  So, we can use our club SCC efforts
in order to qualify for our own SCC, as long as we apply before the
end of the year.  We can also use CEPT contest entries such as
DL/G9XXX, but can't use non-CEPT calls such as P5XXX.

Amateurs whose application was rejected because they had specified
club SCC entries in their "qualification" section should be able to
reapply.  I'll find out from Ofcom after the Easter break whether
these applicants need to resubmit, or whether their applications
will be automatically reinstated, and report back to the reflector.
The applications had all been numbered when received, so it looks as
though the SCC callsign allocations will be preserved.  From what I
had seen, most of the applicants were getting their first or second
callsign choice anyway, so there shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I'm sorry this has not gone as smoothly as was hoped, but I think
we're back on track now.  Anyone who has questions about applying
and qualifying for a SCC, please contact me off-list, and I'll try
to help.  I'll publicise questions and answers of general interest,
and we'll create a list of FAQs for the Contest Committee web pages.

73,

Ed Taylor, GW3SQX
Chairman, RSGB Contest Committee


=====================


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chairman, RSGB Contest Committee" <g3sqx at EdTaylor.org>
To: <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2010 4:41 PM
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Short contest call failure


>
>
> The Short Contest Call rejections are not what the RSGB
> Contest Committee expected, and not what Ofcom are
> supposed to be doing.  We have made protests, and expect
> to have the whole thing sorted out this coming week.
>
> The problem is that nobody at Ofcom knows anything about
> contests, and they don't really understand how contesters
> go about their "jobs".  It had never occurred to anyone
> there that club SCCs could be used by individuals, and
> also that people go abroad specifically to do contests, or
> take gear when they go on business/holiday. When the first
> applications came in, and some amateurs qualified using
> calls other than that which Ofcom had issued to
> individuals for UK use, they seemed to go into meltdown,
> and rejected them out of hand.
>
> The wording of the form says nothing about the callsign
> used when qualifying, and it would not have been
> acceptable to the RSGB side if it had. The fact that a
> "callsign" box is there on the form itself ought to have
> been a clue.
>
> After a certain amount of commotion, some from the Contest
> Committee, some from elsewhere, Ofcom are reconsidering.
> I don't think they have a leg to stand on, but I am not a
> lawyer. If the rejectees would like to hold their fire for
> a few days, they may get some good news. The only thing
> that could go wrong is that the Ofcom bureaucrats say
> something like "This was not what we intended, so we have
> to re-word the form, and the lawyers will need to look at
> it again".  That seems unlikely, but if it happened, it
> would really cause an excrement and turbine situation, and
> would delay the whole thing by months.
>
> I've no idea why Ofcom should really be over-interested in
> this at all, but perhaps all quasi-governmental agencies
> will go the same way as organisations look for places to
> cut jobs, and employees have to make sure they are always
> busy.  However, I get the impression that the Ofcom people
> we are dealing with just want to get this sorted out, and
> move on to other, more important things.  I understand
> that the department's other remit, radio licensing for
> shipping, is absolutely fascinating, and there is urgent
> business to attend to.
>
> I'll keep you posted -- we have a meeting with Ofcom in
> London next Thursday.
>
> 73,
>
> Ed, GW3SQX
> Chairman, RSGB Contest Committee
>