[UK-CONTEST] Ending time

[Rob Harrison]

Hi, 

Roger 'BSU makes a valid point, which highlights the differences between HF/VHF when considering rules. What may be appropriate for HF may not be for VHF, and vice versa. Time is time and that's ok, but the nature of some contacts on VHF mean you could start a contact at 22: 28 and still be trying to complete by the finish at 22:30 in a UKAC.  

On VHF/UHF, if a contact is started just before the 
closing time, generally it has been the case that the QSO will be finished 
and logged and claimed for points, whilst not taking an exceedingly long 
time to complete. From what I've heard over 35+ years, generally that's been 
acceptable to the participants of the contest, as it doesn't happen too 
often, and not to the same station very time. If this interpretation 
of the rules is now the norm and I lose the QSO well that's tough on me, if 
a little heavy handed.

I find it hard to imagine how you would record ALL contacts during a VHF/UHF 
contest, due to the need for beams and the weak nature of some of those 
contacts. Unless you had many monitoring stations around the UK. 

It seems since increasing the numbers operating in contests, the need to 
tighten the rules has had to be addressed. Any ideas as to why that might 
be?

73

Bob G8HGN