[VHFcontesting] Lunchbox caravans

[frank bechdoldt]

The true issue is that there is two types of roving. that being team efforts and non team efforts.  Team efforts generate huge scores but focus on the core group of the team to generate QSOs and multipliers.
 
The ARRL recognized it. Addressed it dirrectly in QST, then made a rule change to have team based roving placed in the Unlimited catagory. The ARRl re stated to generate as many qsos with as many stations as possible and left this catagory as an exception.
 
The ARRl left a loop hole in the simular fashion of a corporate CEO golden Parachute for them to jump through.  Just because they are allowed to ignore the spirit of the contest by a lack of rules does not make it good sportsmanship. The NFL has a penalty for behavior like this. Its called unsportsman like conduct.  In this case they have taken off their helmet, spiked the football, took a whiz on the 50 yard line and slapped the ARRL's mother.  But the ARRL lacks the intestinal fortitude to call unsportsman like conduct.
 
If I interfered with your home station, multi-op station portable station, in such a manner where you could not compete or make a fair compairison of your efforts with simular stations in your class you would cry foul too.
 
The bottom line is that this group has taken it to a new level. There has only been 5 team rover groups in the history of roving. There has been 300 or so call signs associated with roving in the last 15 years.  Why should a small percentage (5-7%) of the group who pratice tatics that in contradiction to the ARRL's mission statement of the Contest be allowed to dominate 3 classes of roving?
 
Perhaps this is why there is not 300 rovers per contest as compared to the steady number of home stations who participate. I'm just saying the turn over for rovers is very high.  Why is that?
 
What they did this year would be very impressive if they limited thier effort to the catagory the ARRL clearly stated was for them.
Sometimes I can ask my kids do something because its the right thing to do, but then I have to drop the hammer when its out of line.
Its not about winning my class. Its about competing with my peers. These guys are not my peers. There QSOs add little benifit to those out side thier lunch box caravan.
 
 

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