[VHFcontesting] QST_ June contest write up

[k4gun at comcast.net]

I couldn't agree more.  There are other problems with the grid circling crew as well.  They really detract from what is done by other rovers, especially in the state of CA.  Take for example the guy who placed 4th in the June contest.  K6EU scored 22000 points which is a good score if he slogged it out for each QSO and had a good plan and antenna system.  He's in the same area as the circling group.  Is his score "real" or was it the product of being buddies with the right guys so he got in on part of the circle party?  I haven't seen anything to suggest that he did anything other than bust his butt, but simple geography raises the question. 



There is absolutely no question that the circling group is violating the spirit of the rules.  They have not (to my knowledge) violated the letter of the rules.  To me, that's an indictment of the rules themselves.  They need changed. 



Here's another frustration.  I too would like to see the actual logs.  Part of the point of having a contest is to see how you did against others who are similarly equipped.  I'd like to see how I can improve my system, plan and route and looking at the results of others helps this.  I'm not however, going to judge my performance against guys doing something I wont and can't do.  Publishing the logs would allow me to figure out who's operating in ways that make it irrelevant for me to be compared.  



I know this subject was closed the last time it was discussed.  It may be again, but I am glad its back on the radar. 



Steve 

K4GUN/R 




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "frank bechdoldt" <k3uhf at hotmail.com> 
To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com 
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 1:41:05 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: [VHFcontesting] QST_ June contest  write up 


I would like to thank QST for the aricle on the June contest. 
  
It brought up the issue and demostrates the team roving/ grid circlers that work in teams across the entry catagories to win a that was said to be un-true by some on this reflector and I took much abuse for bringing up in the first place. 
  
It also brings out how some took the rules of limited rovers that was used to introduce the contest to new people and twist them to their advantage to help their own score as well as thier team rove/ griod circling partners.  This being ignoring the spirit of newbies using the bottom bands and instead using the top bands to only work themselves and the central rover and unlimited rover in their group. 
  
QST did a good job of just reporting the facts and remaining neutral about this problem which is sadly  political as much as it is  about promoting good sportsman ship.   
  
It is sad that for the most part; n6nb, kb6toa and w6te who all won nationaly for their classes of roving will  find a majority of their qsos and especially multipliers  generated from their team mates (each other) in a mostly confined group effort. 
  
Where I part from the ARRL is that they point to numbers of rovers as  a growth in the sport.  If they are primarly working themselves how does this promote growth of our sport?  That being said, most of the rovers are not paricipating in the same manner as those who conspire to win.  My hat is off to the rovers with the small scores who tried to work everyone. To those who try to see how far their signal will go or where it will be heard. 
  
I encourage those who see this for what it is to contact their VUAC member as well as ARRL section rep and ask for a meaningful fix to the rules.  I believe the actions of a hand full of people will harm the new catagories designed to end the problematic methods of the stations mentioned abov. Especially when the entry class winners are using 2.3 ghz to 10 ghz to win.  Is it HRO or AES that the beginers picked this gear up at? 
  
There is even a greater need for the ARRL to post all logs on line to expose all the irregularities for all to see. 
We call ourselves a sport, but in all sports we can objectively demostrate our actions for others to see our path to victory.  We all send logs in, they are checked and "poof" we have a winner. 
  
Would you pay 100 bucks for a football game, wait in line, get a seat then have to wear a blind fold and only hear the game until the end where you take the blindfold off and the score is revealed on the megatron TV? 
  
How can the ARRL call it a fair system if they can not demostate how the scores were produced. 
Why are we  as members who pays for the facilitation of the contest not allowed to see the documentation? 
Would you pay the plumber without the invoice? 
We are handing out awards as a membership that reflects us all but we are not allowed to see the invoice (logs). 
  
Much of the problems we have here could be solved with simple daylight on the logs. 
Why do you think Micheal Jackson Lives in Bahrian? 
  
73s 
K3uhf   
  
  

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