[VHFcontesting] One "Idiot's" Reply - The Real WTX Story

[Kenneth E. Harker]

On Tue, Oct 26, 2004 at 10:51:07AM -0400, N6MU1 at aol.com wrote:
> 
> The only way midwest or west coast rovers can be competitive nationally 
> is to join forces.  WTX is the best area of the country where multiple 
> convergences are readily available close to major highways.  I don't 
> understand the objection to grid circling when there is literally no 
> one else to work. Also, where I go to operate is solely my choice.

Here is why grid circling sucks.

In order to effectively grid circle, multiple rover stations must be 
operating in a highly coordinated manner.  It does not happen by accident.
The complexity and coordination of the scheduling involved probably exceeds 
the level of planning most multi-operator station put into scheduling their
operators.  The point is, it is obvious that grid-cirlcing rovers are really
operating ONE contest operation with MULTIPLE stations and callsigns.  When
two, three, or four rovers coordinate in the way that you have recently 
been doing, it is not two, three, or four separate contest operations - it 
is one planned and executed operation that involves two, three, or four 
callsigns, mostly just making QSOs with itself.

Just as single operator contest efforts are not made to compete with 
multioperator contest efforts, single-station contest efforts should not
be expected to compete against multi-station contest efforts, and nobody 
should be competing against a contest effort that can manufacture an 
arbitrary number of QSOs with itself.

> This "idiot" is proud to be part of the group that raised the roving 
> bar this year. If you think designing and building multiple reliable 
> and portable ten-band rover stations including antennas isn't 
> technically challenging, try it. 

Just because some technical achievement is challenging, does not mean that
your use of that technical achievement demonstrates good sportsmanship.

-- 
Kenneth E. Harker WM5R
kenharker at kenharker.com
http://www.kenharker.com/