[VHFcontesting] Grid Circling

[Zack Widup]

On Thu, 25 Aug 2005, Fisher, Mike wrote:

> I still think the captive rover is WRONG!!!! It may be allowed (in the
> rules) to ONLY work the stations in your group/club, but to me if you're
> only giving points to the QUEEN BEE that that's not in the SPIRIT of
> contesting.
> 
> As long as it's a win at all costs, this will never get any better.
> Maybe one year I will  WIN an event but a "win just to win" takes ALL
> the fun out of it.
> 
> Mike Fisher  N3VOP  FM19
> 

Once upon a time, microwave activity was nil.  I can understand that in 
the distant past if a club had microwave equipment but no one to work up 
there, it made sense to equip others with such gear and have them go off 
and work you.  At that time there was probably no one else to work.  I've 
been considering doing that myself.  I have two functional transverters 
for 3456 and 5760 and I'm considering building another for 10 GHz. I can 
lend them to someone to go off somewhere and work me.  BUT - I know of at 
least 4 other stations I can now count on to work on 2304 and a couple on 
the higher bands.  I will certainly work them even if it means missing 
some time on 144 or 432, etc. And I hope the person I loan my equipment to 
will do the same (work other people).

I can't see that as an excuse for "captive stations" on the lower VHF/UHF 
bands, though.  There's plenty of people to work there for most of us, 
anyway.

That said, I can see the "grid circling" might be a novel idea to try once 
just to see what you could accomplish.  But I certainly wouldn't want to 
do it in every contest. I'd think it would be a matter of "Been there, 
done that, let's try something else new." Especially since gas prices are 
likely to be $4/gallon when the January contest comes around.

Me?  I still plan on Single-Op Portable on hilltops for most of my 
operations.  I might get back to Bald Knob with N5RP for another contest 
sometime too, if I can manage the schedule. I think we'll be a more 
formidable team next time.  :-)

73, Zack W9SZ