[VHFcontesting] What about me? I am captive.

[Radiosporting Fan]

Tim, your operation is "what it's all about" for the
90% of the participants who won't submit scores in the
"Top 10 percent". :)  We find things about the contest
that keep us coming back.  You have...and should
continue to come back, too.

If I may point something out...you said something that
echo'd a previous comment:

--- "Tim Ertl (KE3HT)" <ke3ht at ke3ht.org> wrote:
> What is a captive rover? My June logs
> (available on my web site) will show that I mainly
> worked three stations plus anyone else that could
> hear me.

> I arranged my whole route around Southern and
> Northern PA to be able to work K8GP (284
> miles from FN10aw) and W2SZ (289miles from FN00xw)

If I may "put words in your mouth", you seem to be
doing this because the M/U stations are uniquiely
positioned to provide you with the contacts that you
desire (they are well-placed, well equipped and with
well trained operators).  If true, that makes you
"captivated", not captive.  It was suggested that
others on the list should build stations that could
likewise captivate Rovers, rather than complain that
they can't find any.

Now for the crux of the discussion on captive and pack
rovers...

> My intent is not to make lots of QSO's.

> The result is I only really spend time on long
> distance shots and building a station to do long
> distance shots.

The objective of the ARRL contests is to maximize
callsigns, QSO's and Grids.  You get your kix out of
maximizing DX (not an event objective), and so your
score is lower than it could otherwise be...but,
importantly, your s-a-t-i-s-f-a-c-t-i-o-n is high (a
good thing).  Keep it up! :)

Pack and Captive rovers get their kix out of
maximizing their (or someone elses) score so they
align their strategies to do so.  That isn't bad
either (if it was, they would be DQ'd, but they
aren't).  They should keep it up, too! :)

The complaining comes from people who:
(1) Haven't found a way to compete at national levels
(2) Can't find another way to be a happy participant

The wonderful thing about contests is that it allows
for participation by lots of different interests. The
"gotcha" is is: Only those that maximize their
operation based on the events objectives are publicly
rewarded by the event sponsors.  Period.

Stay the course...keep having fun.  Maybe someday,
I'll work you in/from WNY. ;-)

Best wishes, and kind regards,
Ev, W2EV




		
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