[VHFcontesting] Contesting ethics for rovers

[k4gun at comcast.net]

Well, the rules do give an exception for a rover vehicle to carry more than one rover station under the "family rule".

2.3.1.A rover vehicle may transport only one station using a single call sign. An exception is provided for in "General Rules for All ARRL Contests" number 3.5 (Family Rule). 

I read that to mean that if the girlfriend were considered "family", it would be acceptable under the rules to operate two stations (and calls) from a single vehicle.  I could be wrong, but that really doesn't matter because I'm not going to do it.  This gets into the question of intent and I don't think the intent was to allow me to scoop up extra multipliers by having a family member with a station in my truck.  The intent seems to be to allow family members to travel together for the purpose of both being competitive in a contest.

Anyway... maybe I shouldn't have brought it up.  I was just struck by the fact that its very easy to get caught up in massaging the rules to boost a score.  I thought that was good fodder for discussion.  

Steve

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Bill Olson <callbill at hotmail.com> 
Hi Steve, I think the rover rules are pretty clear that a rover vehicle can only transport one station and use one call sign (except family stations can use more than one call). So you can't have two rover STATIONS in the same car. However I am quite sure your girlfriend can operate HER OWN RIG during the contest, from anywhere she wants to. Maybe she can operate in the QRP portable category and submit separate logs for each grid she operated from. I know rover operators can submit fixed station logs from their home station in addition to their rover logs as long as they are using a completely different station. Likewise i believe operators at a multiop. What I am not sure of is whether operating from different grids with the same call automatically makes you a rover. Check with Sean at the league.

As far as the family rule goes, even if you and she WERE actually family, family stations operate under different calls but use the same station. So you can't work yourself that way. Anyway, it certainly wasn't the intent of the family rule to allow stations to work other family members in the car for increased score. 

I understand wanting to get more people interested in the contest aspect of our hobby. That you can do  just by sharing the operating with your friend as any 2 operator rover station would do. Of course that doesn't increase your score, but that wasn't REALLY the point, right?

bill, k1DY





> From: k4gun at comcast.net
> To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
> Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:00:58 +0000
> Subject: [VHFcontesting] Contesting ethics for rovers
> 
> I'm not sure if this is a question, a statement or just musings about contest ethics. More than likely, I'll just ramble on about it but I would like some feedback from the VHF contesting group as I really respect the opinions I see from this list.
> 
> My girlfriend is working on getting her ticket. I'm quite proud of her for doing this. She also wants to join me in the rover for the June contest. I thought that would be a great way for her to see what all the fun is about. 
> 
> Then, I started thinking about how this could benefit me and her. My first thought was to give her a tri-band HT. She could make her own contacts and keep her own log. Hmmm... but what about letting her have use of the omni directional antennas while I'm parked and let her use my spare radio which is a 746 Pro. My thought was that I could work contacts and then let her work them on her own radio and antennas.
> 
> Great idea, right? Well, aside from the problem that she isn't technically "family" under the contest family rules as they apply to Rovers, there is another problem. The problem is an ethical one. Working like this, she probably wouldn't accumulate a very big score. She would only be picking up my left-overs, with one exception. She and I could work each other on at least 3 bands and probably 4 and we could do this in each grid from which we worked. 
> 
> At first, I thought this would be a great way to increase my own score. Under the "Limited Rover" rules, you are allowed to contact another rover up to 100 times during a contest and having a person with you in the same grid, that would be an easy limit to stay under but it would give a LOT of multipliers that I otherwise would not get. 
> 
> I read the rules and saw the "family rule" exception. I thought about asking Sean about the "legality" of her using her own call and riding in my truck. I'm guessing that if I pushed the matter, I could slide through. While she is not exactly "family" in a legal sense, we all know how that definition has been evolving lately.
> 
> I also don't see a lot of difference between this and the grid circling that is so common. The only difference is that they travel in separate vehicles.
> 
> Then, I had to ask myself why I was contemplating this. Was it really to help her get started into radio or contesting? Did it contribute to helping any other stations pick up more grids? Nope. It accomplished none of that. It might mean a few extra contacts for a few stations, but mostly it would benefit me. So while I can conjure up all kinds of justifications, I really have to back up and realize that just because I can, doesn't mean I should. 
> 
> Does any of this make any sense? Am I thinking too much? It wouldn't be the first time. I want to stay both within the letter and the spirit of the rules. Its that spirit part that brought on the introspection.
> 
> Steve
> K4GUN
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