[UK-CONTEST] Remote stuff

[Paul O'Kane]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom GM4FDM" <tom at gm4fdm.com>

> If somebody wants to shoot lions in Africa by remote control,
> then thats their business, not mine.   Personally I dont
> approve of shooting lions whether remote or not...

You are avoiding the issue.  The issue is whether remote-
controlled hunting can still be described as hunting - or
whether the nature of the activity has been changed to such
an extent that it can no longer be described as such.

If you disagree, please be precise with your arguments.

> Would there be any difference if I was located at home here
> in Paisley and built my station at the top of Ben Nevis and
> operated it remotely via a 2m or 70cms link?

How you operate outside of award-chasing or contesting is
entirely your own business, except that when you call me
I would prefer to know, in advance, that your station is
remote-controlled.  That way, I can choose whether to work
you.

Remote-control stations are effectively personal repeaters.
Would you expect a QSL for a repeater QSO, or would you
expect contest organisers to permit repeater entries?  I
wouldn't!

> Like I said in a previous post, my headset suddenly has
> a 300 mile long lead.

Except that we all know it hasn't.  Your headset lead is
the same length as always, but your station is remote-
controlled.

> If you figure there to be a difference - what is it?

The difference is distance - and distance matters!  Amateur
radio contesting QSOs are person-to-person RF, subject only
to the usual 500-metre radius for equipment and antennas.

Why do you think the IOTA contest rules changed within the
past two years to prohibit remote-control QSOs?  I will
tell you why; it was to put a stop to abuse by operators
handing out IOTA multiplier QSOs when they (the operatos)
were not even on an island.  We can be confident that other
major contests will apply the same rule in due course.

73,
Paul EI5DI