[VHFcontesting] A Brief History of (Captive) Roving

[George Fremin III]

On Sat, May 03, 2003 at 07:06:35PM -0400, Ev Tupis (W2EV) wrote:
> 1. There was a time when there was little activity above 1296 MHz.

Still is out where I live - well in fact there is little activity 
below 1296.

> 2. Multi-Ops _Elmered_ rovers into the higher bands for obvious reasons.
>    NOTE: Isn't this EXACTLY what needs to be done to "save the VHF contests"?
>          Let's not be hyprcritical. ;-)
> 3. Rovers thanked them by making sure that the multi-ops got logged from
>    every visited grid on every available band.
>    NOTE: Not to the exclusion of others...but with a special effort to make
>          sure the multi-op that Elmered them got taken care of.
> 
> I don't call that captive, I call it gratitude.
> 

Uhhhh.....ok.


> The term "captive rover" was coined by the people that got 'miffed' (read this
> sentence over and over until you understand it).

I don't know if this is true or not but I think it describes a case where
you have a rover(s) that are sent out by and for the group they are 
working to further that groups score.  K1DY has told us this and 
we have seen it described in conjunction with W2SZ from a number of sources.
It is clear there are multi-ops that send out rovers that just work those 
multi-ops.

I use the term "captive rover" to describe the above. 

I have not been miffed by not working them - I live thousands of miles
from these operations. 

I just think it is silly that the rules allow such things.

I think it is silly that the rules allow you to work your own ops
at 2.4ghz and above. 

I think that all of the QSO points for the VHF contests should be 
1 point per QSO regardless of band.

> 
> Why do people operate contests as Rovers? (get ready, you've seen this before)
> o It's fun  (duh!)
> o There's a reward
>   The question is, what is the reward?  Ask the Rovers...don't ass-u-me.

This thread has never been an attack on rovers.

I agree with you - rovering is fun.

I did a number of rover efforts years before there was a rover category 
and I was one of the folks that was pushing for a rover category 
because I thought it was cool - and it would help generate activity
for everyone.  

Every time I went out I tried to work as many different people from as many 
different grids as I could in my 15 and 20 grid trips.  

> 
> I have never heard the term "captive rover" used by anyone other than those that
> somehow missed working a Rover in a grid they needed (by the way...have I

I have used it and I do feel that I am I using it because I am sour for 
having missed working some rover in some grid. In fact I do not know of 
any rovers that I can work on 2m and up around here that go out and only 
work one station.

> PS...How do you get a fleet of "captive rovers"?  Easy... ELMER THEM!  Save the
> VHF Contest while you're at it.  How can you go wrong?  It's a Two-fer-One Sale!

I have been encouraging rover activity from some grids that are west of me but I would
never expect those rovers to go there and only work me - in fact I would be upset 
if that were to be the case.  I want us all to make more contacts. 


-- 
George Fremin III - K5TR
geoiii at kkn.net
http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr