[VHFcontesting] How to increase my score, or why should I try?

[Buck Calabro]

Hello Kenneth,

> The fundamental problem burdening VHF 
> contesting today is the "team" problem.  
-snip-
> have other stations that get on the air as 
> part of a team of stations working toward 
> a single goal - that one of the stations 
> in the team wins the contest.

Doesn't general contest rule 8 specifically allow club competition? 
Isn't the point that one wants one's own club to win the contest?

> I don't think that it is unnatural or baffling 
> to find some individual competitors who 
> are frustrated, upset, or resentful that 
> they are being forced to compete, on 
> their own, against coordinated teams of
> stations that are mostly making contacts 
> with themselves and nobody else.  

I can understand this, which is why there are separate categories for
separate sorts of competitors.  But I am not depressed that there are
many (all?!) rovers in ENY who kick the crap out of me when I go out. 
It gives me a target; a goal to strive for.  I don't want to change
the rules to punish the winners - I want to use the same rules to beat
them.  I'm not frustrated by the fact that I rove solo, while some
rovers have a co-pilot.  Clearly, a co-pilot is an advantage, but am I
being forced to compete against a coordinated team of rover &
co-pilot?  No, because the same set of rules encompass us all.  I
suppose I could look at it this way, but that seems self-defeatist to
me...

Since I'm a rover, I'll address the rover issue.  If I can somehow
convince a couple of friends to drive a thousand miles and grid circle
whilst activating 20+ grids all weekend, why shouldn't I be rewarded
for that with a high score?  The point being that there is nothing
stopping anyone else from doing exactly the same thing.  It's clear
that my powers of persuasion aren't very advanced, as I haven't been
able to do it.  <grin>

I know in advance that there are 'multi-op' rovers -- it's in the
rules.  I know in advance that there are clubs where multiple rovers
and fixed stations will contribute their score -- it's in the rules. 
The geography and topography isn't the best in the country where I
live.  All of these things are out of my control, but predictable and
understandable.

Does it stink that a CA rover team decided to go into TX and get a
huge score, beating someone who's spent years building his station? 
Yeah, it does.  It stunk for me when 6m was open and I was making QSOs
on 2.  It stinks that Mother Nature decided to drop a blizzard during
the January contest.  These things are out of my control and are
unpleasant surprises.  Isn't that contesting?

I guess the point is that it isn't like it's Bill Gates, buying up a
rover team to run up a score for a bogus team.  The CA rover guys are
genuine hams who set up actual stations in their personal vehicles. 
Just like I do.  They have low power, just like me (so far.)  They
were persuaded to do this by a human who used personality and
friendship to encourage them to go out and play radio.  No super-human
feat, no unique, impossible situations (there's only one Bill Gates.) 
Just the most basic and fundamental of human traits - a trait we all
posses to some degree or another.

The CA rover guys don't posses an insurmountable advantage -- in fact,
they have quite an Achilles Heel, if reports are to be believed. 
Power.  If someone wants to beat them at their own game, all they need
is a little more power and an extra rover or two to go work across an
entire grid.  In fact, what a gas it would be to travel _with_them_ as
they go from grid to grid.  All you'd need is one more grid than they
have and you'd beat them!

I'm in favour of a mega rover category and a multi-op rover category
for rovers who don't want to be lumped together in one large lot.  It
won't matter to me for a while because I have lots of stuff to go
build before I become competitive.  In the meantime, I'll go out and
<touch wood> hone my skills as an operator.

I'd like to add that I don't know the CA rovers, but I'd buy them a
round of the beverage of their choice if I met them.  They did a lot
of work to get that score, every bit as grinding, boring and
depressing as calling CQ for hours and having no one answer you.

As far as 'mostly making contacts with themselves and nobody else,'
all I can say is that I've heard plenty of QSOs on 6, 2 & 440 during a
contest, and nobody would answer my call.  Was I too weak and they
didn't hear me?  Did they hear me, but simply decide my measly point
wasn't worth the time?  Maybe.  Did they not recognise my call (I'm
not one of their friends)?  Who can say?  (Gotta work on that
persuasion thing some more...)

Do I blame them?  No, I do not.  

Do I want the rules changed to somehow force them to talk to me, or to
penalise them because they got a higher score?  No, I do not.

Does it frustrate me?  Sure.  I need more TX power, better pointing
and more operator skill.  They are not responsible for my success.  I
am.

Very best regards,
  --buck KC2HIZ/r