[VHFcontesting] The Rover Flaw

[Eric Watkins]

We rovers don't want APRS(repeated or otherwise) to be used for 
contacts, just tracking rovers. APRS contest proponents keep saying 
that APRS wouldn't/shouldn't be used for QSO points and the 
detractors don't get it. Nobody is suggesting that Echolink or any 
other repeated method(APRS included) be used for QSOs. APRS would be 
used in a contest for rover tracking/reporting, not for QSOs.

As a rover, it would sure be nice to have others already know where 
we are headed, yet every contest we keep having to answer, "Where are 
you going now??" Sure HamIM(simplex APRS) could be made to work, it 
just doesn't have the same user base that native APRS does. We tried 
to use HamIM in the last contest, nobody else in our area was using 
it. People asked us why we didn't use APRS, not understanding the 
firestorm that rains down on rovers who suggest such heresy.

Since we're in a different category, why does suggesting things that 
would make life easier on the rovers cause such a gnashing of 
teeth?  The reality is that we give out far more points and rare 
grids to stationary ops than we make for ourselves via the "activation" mult.

Don't you guys want more rovers out in the field?

Eric
kr0ver/r


At 03:55 PM 3/2/2007, John Geiger wrote:
>But if they should allow retransmission of signals
>thru the APRS network, shouldn't they also allow
>repeater and satellite QSOs to count for the contest?
>And maybe even Echolink.  Heck, CQ counts Echolink
>QSOs towards DX awards.
>
>73s John W5TD
>
>--- Dave Agsten <w4txs at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I'm not talking about running some modified APRS in
> > Simplex. I'd like to see the rule makers take off
> > the blinders and allow use of the APRS network as it
> > currently exists. It's obvious that FM simplex isn't
> > going to outdistance SSB or CW from a Rover. I guess
> > I'm probably preaching to the choir here since it
> > won't have any impact on the rule makers. It's a
> > good thing the VHF/UHF contests are in the Summer
> > because at this point in the Sunspot Cycle I'd be on
> > the CW low end of 160 and 80  if it weren't for the
> > high level of noise.
> >
> >   Dave, N8AG
> >
> >
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