[VHFcontesting] Rovers again

[Buck Calabro]

>> You are making an assumption based on limited or faulty data. That 
>> assumption being that rule 2.3.5 is inconsistent with grid circling. 
>> That is not necessarily the case, and in fact it is seldom the case.
>
>The intent of this rule was to encourage rovers to be available for
>the majority of people in their area.  Grid circling is not consistent
>with that when 99 percent of your QSOs are with the same two people.  

I don't do circling for a variety of reasons, but I understand the complaint.  The problem is that looking at the logs doe not reveal the intent of the rover, or of any contester.  I just finished a 3456 transverter and don't have an amplifier for it.  One ham in my area had 3456 up on his tower, and I worked him.  So, 100% of my 3456 QSOs were with one other station.  I am neither his captive, nor did I circle, but a simple log analysis might lead one to think so.

I had a similar situation with 1296.  I was only able to talk to two people on 1296 but it wasn't because I hate everyone else and refuse to work them.  It's because they were the only stations with good enough gear to work me.  I have a puny station.  If I call CQ and nobody hears me, why am _I_ (the rover) at fault for not having other stations in my log?  And yet if you were to look at my FM contacts on 2 and 440, you'd find lots of diversity, despite the fact that a lot of the FM folks don't submit a log.  I call CQ on FM very frequently when I'm in populated areas because I know I'll sweep up the occasional mobile who's happy to 'give out some points.'

If I were to drive out to very rare grids, that situation would look even worse, not better.  Think about it: I drive 300 miles away from the population centers (those are the rare grids right - no hams there?) and which stations can work me?  The little guy with a quarter wave whip or the big gun with a yagi array?  While explicitly following the intent and spirit of the competition to go to rare grids and work long distances, my log would look as if I were captive AND a grid hopper as well, because probably 100% of my QSOs on the high bands would be with one or two well equipped contest stations.  Simply because there isn't anyone else who can work me except the monster station.  

Just because a pair of stations worked each other a LOT absolutely does not mean that they _refused_ to work other stations.  I'm still a beginner, and I have very limited capability.  Despite that, I go out and use it anyway, which I think is very much in the spirit of competition.

The idea of a time limit to re-use a grid to limit circling is a horrible idea.  I spent hours and hours poring over topo maps specifically to find roads that criss-cross grid lines so that I could readily work stations from both grids quickly.  It takes like 15 minutes or so to drive, set up etc. 'over the line' but since I specifically picked a road on a ridge, it's a perfect opportunity to call CQ on an FM frequency and work people while I'm moving.  I might cross the grid line 5 times (GPS) before I reach my ultimate stopping place.  Having enforced 'off the air time' would absolutely mean that I could not call CQ enroute.  How does forcing me off the air encourage more activity?

How does a rover absolve himself, and distance himself from these anonymous mythical bad apples?  I would be absolutely willing to sign an affidavit saying that I honestly, truly and desperately want to make more QSOs, and that I did not now, nor did I ever refuse to work another station whom I could hear, and that I do call CQ on multiple frequencies sometimes for hours to try to stir up activity.  I freely admit my guilt in having limited capability gear which is not capable of working every ham in my area and further admit to actually using that gear in contests to make contacts with the few stations who can work me.  In my defense, I plead leniency because I am building new gear as fast as I can.

Please don't change the rules that cover everyone just to punish a handful of stations.  Let the contest administrator privately admonish bad behaviour and work with the offending station to clean up his act.  Just like Riley does with license violations.

73 from the heart,
  --KC2HIZ/r, Buck