[VHFcontesting] Single Operators, Ethics, and 6 Meters

[Kenneth E. Harker]

On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 10:12:59PM -0500, Mike (KA5CVH) Urich wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 8:20 PM, Ev Tupis <w2ev at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> > You may be inadvertantly associating HamIM with APRS.
> 
> Mike wrote
> 
> No I know the difference.  This was not a technology question but a
> question about being assisted.
> 
> If I'm on 50.130 or 144.210 or whatever and I have another radio going
> "hey here I am over here" isn't that assistance?  I know the league
> has bought off on it but its just something I would never use
> primarily because of the improbability that anyone else within 250
> miles of me is using it either so it would just be wasted dollars if
> nothing else.

Mike, 

     HamIM is basically calling CQ on 2M FM/AX.25.  Since it is an FM 
transmission on a vertically-polarized antenna, it suffers from many of 
the same drawbacks that use an FM voice transmitter to call CQ would.
Even using an omni-directional antenna, calling CQ on SSB/CW would
enable you to be heard and worked over longer distances.

     The main perceived advantages of HamIM are that the computer can 
call CQ repeatedly while the operator is doing something else, and the 
CQs can also include GPS location information.  Many contest stations 
do exactly the same thing (auto-CQing) on SSB/CW (perhaps giving out 
six digit grid locators instead of lat/lon).  Another drawback to HamIM 
is that it gets in the way of transmitting on SSB/CW at the same time.

     I've never understood the attraction of HamIM.  It does have a 
techno-geek gimmick value of looking like an Instant Messenger system,
which I guess appeals to some people, and could certainly be of interest
to deaf operators.  But for most of us, at its core it is simply a  
strategy of calling CQ all the time (which winning contest stations are
going to do anyway), but using a mode of transmission that unnecessarily 
limits the range over which contacts can be made.

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